Kingdom Hearts RE: Order
by Zeromaru Chaos Mode
Summary: There was one survivor. One remaining person who lived through the War. Asleep until just after the defeat of Xemnas yet now awake. A mistake leads him to be connected to Kairi, and from there, both of them are led to the Truth. But what are those strange creatures, riding pathways of Light? He seeks the forgotten one. Rewrite of The Thirteenth Order.
1. Prologue

_**Yeeel, Was yea ra weal yorr toe titilia mahin en jambea won mea.**_

**Walls of light cascading from the skies. Glittering stars shimmering where once life stood…**

_**infel, yorr memora?**_

**A flash of rust colored steel. Body dropping to the ground. Shimmering light where it fell…**

_**wharn wis dor sos yora spitze**_

**A bloody war. Children dying in the streets.**

_**Den dest phantasmagoria en rhaplanca ides, Mea wis rooshellan, noini roon en endia vale.**_

**A dying roar. Not fear. Not sadness. But Rage. A cry for vengeance. Justice. Retribution.**

_**Coall inna mea.**_

* * *

A black void.

Silence.

Time? What was time? Nothing changed. Everything remained the same.

The sole occupant, sustained in an unseen bubble of protection, the light of his Heart being the only thing keeping his body from fragmenting, dispersing into its base components. A space between life and death, but closer to death than life.

Eyes open? Eyes closed? It didn't matter. It was pitch black either way.

…and then something changed.

A voice…barely comprehensible. As if heard from a very long distance.

"_Cursed…Key…blade…"_

The faint words caused the still occupant of the dark space to stir. It was the presence of a voice at all, not so much the words themselves, that caused the reaction.

…_wh…huh…? Did…some…one…speak…?_

"_I…must…Kingdom…Hearts…"_

The body stirred more. Another shape began to form near it. Faint, but growing in definition as the moments passed.

_Kingdom…Hearts…?_

"_You…you have power…"_

The new arrival was a man with dark tanned skin, orange eyes, and strangely enough, grayish white hair. He was clad in a white zipped up long-coat resembling a hooded cloak with strange black symbols decorating it. His form was faint, faded, as if a ghost or wandering spirit.

"_It…must be…mine…"_

_My…power…?_ The original occupant was beginning to grow coherent. Flashes of memory raced through his mind, images, feelings, knowledge, instincts. As his eyes began to open, he felt a strange sensation in his body. The invading, buzzing, burning feeling jumpstarted his mental facilities, eyes snapping open to see the new arrival with his hand literally plunged into the previous occupant's chest.

"_I…am Xemnas…I was once Ansem…I held no heart, yet my soul and body remained. I hold no body, but my soul is retained. You…will be my vessel."_

The young man who was originally floating alone in this strange world, tried to struggle. But because he reacted too slowly, because he was still not entirely awake, he could not repel the invader, this…Xemnas.

But he still tried.

_Gahk! Hrrnngh…L-look asshat...I don't know what the __**fuck**__ you're on about…but I'm __**not**__ big on some guy trying to fuck my chest with his whole bloody arm!_

The original occupant grasped the afformentioned arm…only for the new arrival to glow, and in the blink of an eye get sucked into his body. There was a horribly uncomfortable amount of pressure in an indescribable location that was both inside and outside him at the same time, before his consciousness faded.

At once, his body flared with an unusual glow, growing and transforming into that of the man, Xemnas.

A dark chuckle. "Indeed…but you have no choice."

Xemnas gazed upon his surroundings. "The internals of a Dark Corridor? And yet he was just floating here…impressive. And without any form of protection save that odd barrier no less…this boy must have had an impossibly powerful will to survive…and yet…" Xemnas was slightly puzzled.

"He did not turn into a Heartless…and I could still sense his heart, thus he was not a Nobody…could he have accepted the darkness in a way that granted him immunity to it…? A pity he seems to have vanished…I would have been interested in studying him…"

The man stretched, feeling amazing power rushing through him.

"Yes…this boy did hold much power within. A true shame…no matter." He turned.

"I shall finish what I started…if these Keybearers will not obey my will…I shall simply destroy them…and wait…"

The man turned, seemingly zooming off to an unknown location, a soft, feral grin on his face.

Minutes…Hours…Days…Months…? Years?

It wasn't known.

Forever, he had floated in darkness.

Since the end of his world.

Since the end of the Wars.

Since the power that his people had found, tore his world apart.

He floated there…in the dark shadows between worlds, a conceptual space that was not "space".

But then someone came. And somehow…took…his body.

**A faint grey glow appeared in the spot that Xemnas vacated some time prior**.

But his will, his soul…his _heart_, remained.

And for that brief moment they were connected, he _saw_.

He knew where the man was going.

_Destiny…Islands…_

He didn't know _how, _but…

…_I'm gonna get my body back._

**The grey shimmer shot off, following the trail of the body-snatcher.**

* * *

The Keyblade bearers had failed.

Oh they succeeded indeed, in freeing the world from Xemnas' tyranny and intentions, if for a little while. But their final attack was aimed to unlock and destroy a heart that did not exist. The power within it was enough to overload his body, temporarily disorient his mind that was fueled by his soul, but it did not do what it was intending to. They destroyed his body, casting his soul back into the depths of Darkness, away from the Void of Nothingness that they were once fighting in.

But their intention was to destroy Xemnas, permanently.

And in that, they failed.

They did not know it. The few days, months, in normal time, that they spent at the beaches of the Dark Ocean, were long enough for Xemnas' soul to re-form, even if it too was cast into the darkness. But he was not "near" their world, when he returned.

A few months for them went by. Catching up with friends, reuniting with family.

But their happiness wasn't to last.

Unknown to them, they were about to be involved in a conflict that would devastate multiple worlds…

One that would lead to one of their number being forever changed.

The strength of their bonds were about to be tested. All because of a people that were long since extinct…


	2. The Last Nobody

**Infinitia Productions presents…**

**THUNK!**

"Nice block Kairi!"

**A Zero Shinzaki creation.**

**THWACK!**

A brunette boy let loose a hiss of pain as the wooden sword crashed into his weapon-hand, before a blur of red swept his legs out from beneath him.

**Kingdom Hearts RE: Order**

**Chapter I**

_**The Last Nobody**_

A soft breeze. A young brunette teenage boy with spiked hair was absently rubbing his right hand. Next to him sat a girl, similarly aged, with red hair down to her shoulders, panting slightly. Off to the side, leaning against a palmtree, was another teenage boy with definable muscles, and long grey-silver hair. The two boys, were Sora and Riku, the girl, Kairi. All three of them were special…

* * *

Not in the way the word is used as a term to denote those lacking certain mental functions, but to denote one who is "abnormal" in the sense that they can do something beyond that of mortal men and women. These three were capable of manifesting weaponry based upon an essence known as "The Light of the Heart". The weapon had a name, and it was called a "Keyblade". These "Keyblades" were strange, oversized key-like objects that could be wielded the same way one would wield a sword. Strangely enough, however, though they all shared the same name of "Keyblade" some did slicing damage, and others, blunt.

Much like a normal key, the Keyblades came in various shapes, sizes and makes, depending on not only the form that the wielder's heart manifested them in, but also due to the presence of objects known as "Keychains". Unlike a normal keychain, however, these "Keychains" were formed from the connections of people's hearts, and sometimes the powers of concept from entire Worlds. These Keychains were physical manifestations of a person or world's essence, granting the wielder of the Keychain some level of power similar to that of the person the Keychain was based off of.

Like the object the name came from, though a Keyblade can be used as a weapon, it is also a catch-all unlocking tool. Any form of lock, and some magical barriers, can be undone by a keyblade wielder. Even metaphorical or imaginary locks, such as ones on memories or abilities, can be undone. The Keyblade however isn't just a weapon or a master key. It - being a strange semi-spiritual and definitely magical weapon, formed from the Heart of a person, and sometimes a world, or entire universe- can be used to "unlock" a person or world's Heart, or even, subsequently, "lock" it. The "Heart" of a World, being it's spiritual core, the very essence of every collective existence that lies within its surface.

However, the process of "unlocking" a person's heart, can actually remove it. Now, by heart, it isn't meant the physical beating vessel of blood that most living creatures have, but more the emotional core of a living being. The "Heart" from which we feel emotions such as love, hate, pain, pleasure, joy, sadness and others. If a person's "heart" is removed, their body disintegrates into particles, as their concept of existence is essentially shattered, and from the shadow of their existence, forms what is known as a "Heartless". Heartless are drawn to, but subsequently potentially defeated by, the light of the Heart.

Therefore, a Keyblade wielder, is capable of slaying heartless and releasing the captured hearts within, thus allowing for the possibility of revival, but also, is a target for the Heartless. When 'sheathed' the Keyblade is hidden from the senses of Heartless, though they are still attracted to the stronger than normal essence of the bearer. However when it is exposed to the world, its continuous energies draw them, like lambs to a slaughter, or like wolves to a hunt, depending on the Heartless, and the state of the Keybearer.

Much like Light exists, however, there is also Darkness. The Darkness within people's hearts call forth the Heartless, creatures formed from the negative emotions of those who lost their hearts, or possibly even those whose hearts were consumed by their own negativity. These creatures seem to be the natural answer to the Light of Existence, though there are many that have been falsely created through unknown and improper means.

Yet…there is another state of existence.

Those with strong enough wills, will retain a semblance of their original body, and become what is, for some reason, known as a "Nobody". Like with the Heartless, a Nobody is formed from the loss of a heart, but is basically the unliving shell of the original life. Those among the Nobodies with particularly _powerful_ wills, can be re-born, in forms resembling their original selves, though without their heart, and lacking emotion. They hold memories of their former time as true living beings, and though supposedly they have no hearts to hold emotion, they channel a form of emotion through their memories of it. In essence, they know what it is like to have _felt_ emotion at one point, and can go through the actions, but cannot, supposedly, create new emotions.

This lack of a heart pulls at them, it strains them, thus they seek their missing hearts. Unlike the heartless, however, they do not wander around consuming whatever heart they can find, they want _theirs_ back. Not anyone else's. Nobodies are capable of supernatural powers, much like the Heartless. Only where the Heartless wield things like Fire or Ice in natural and instinctive forms, such as throwing a fireball or calling down a bolt of lightning, a Nobody with a particularly powerful will, can get creative, for they have higher levels of thought, exactly similar to those of humans.

Nobodies, lacking hearts, are shunned by the Dark and the Light both, for they are beings that should not exist. Yet they do. They are what would be called, an impossible possibility made real.

Unknown to them…the three teens relaxing on the beach…one particularly powerful Nobody was heading right for them. And would change their lives…forever.

* * *

"So…how am I doing you two?" the redhead, Kairi, asked.

The question was born from the past few months of training. The two were teaching her –at her behest- how to fight, how to survive, how to not die. Originally, they abstained, due to their belief that with Xemnas gone, the biggest threats were over. She refuted them, stating that though he was gone, others could still come, on top of which, she wanted to know for herself.

They couldn't challenge her desire for self-improvement, thus, they began training her.

For her, it was brutal. Waking up early in the morning, running before breakfast, random exercises to loosen and build her muscles, learning how to handle a sword (if only a wooden one) and learning how to call her personal Keyblade from the depths of her impossibly bright heart. She didn't know _why_ she was able to wield the magical weapon, but it was Sora who pointed out a possible answer.

"_Chalk it up to you being a Princess of Heart. I mean, we don't know what that really entails other than a fancy title."_

Thus, after a week of learning how to summon it, she learned, over the next few months, how to _use_ it. Sora and Riku taught her everything they knew about the functions of the magical weapon, what little they knew of its origin, and its modular nature.

"_The Keyblade seems to match the user perfectly, so it will always be the right weight for you. You'll always be able to summon it back to you, and if someone you don't trust takes it, or tries to keep it from you, you can bring it back to your side."_

"_Riku you're forgetting something though. Sometimes, if your heart is weak enough, or rather I guess your will, it won't come. It takes an odd kind of balance to be able to call it under serious stress."_

"_ahh, right…forgot about that…"_

"You're doing pretty good Kai." Sora responded. Riku nodded softly.

"Yeah, you're progressing pretty quickly for someone with no combat experience."

"I guess watching you guys fight with these wooden swords all the time paid off."

"I still wish we had a girl to train you though." Riku spoke.

"Why?"

"Cause they tend to fight differently than we guys do. For the most part."

Sora nodded slowly. "Yeah, he's got a point. I remember Mulan didn't so much…_hit_ things as she did kinda…flow…like water. Watching her pretend to fight like a man, and then seeing her fight like herself…she was a lot better as herself. Faster, smoother."

"Larxene too. _That _girl was **flexible**." Riku quipped.

"Hell yeah she was. She was dancing around me like I was nothing! I mean, yeah she had a really weird weapon and her lightning bolts hurt like hell but jeez. I'd think I land a hit and she just, bent out of the way…"

"Fought like a wild animal…but a really weird twisty wild animal."

Kairi cleared her throat, a vague irritated look on her face. "If you're done fantasizing about getting some girl in bed."

"**You can't really blame them Kairi. She **_**was**_** really flexible. A bitch too, but still…"** Kairi blinked. Normally Naminé didn't call people out like that. _You didn't like her I take it?_

Her response was a snort. **"That's an understatement. Really out of all of them she was the one I was **_**happy **_**to see die. …again. I think. I mean, Marluxia was bad enough but he at least had a plan for me. Larxene? Ugh. Shrill as all get-out and stupidly tall too. Made me hate being blonde…"**

"Kairi…Kairi!"

"Eh?" The redhead snapped her head to Sora.

"Let me guess…Naminé?" he asked, to which Kairi nodded.

None of them knew why, but for some reason, after a month into her training, Naminé started speaking to Kairi again. It wasn't constant, more like, she was a second occupant in a room, and would occasionally pipe up with a comment or observation. At least, at first. As the months went on, Naminé began to have a stronger awareness, capable of sensing people that were close to Kairi's heart, their proximity, and their general mood. Not long after Naminé began speaking, Roxas began piping up too.

"**I think she might be talking about Larxene." **_You knew her too? _**"Yeah. Kinda flighty but really fast on her feet. Sarcastic as all hell though. I can see why Naminé wouldn't like her, she was kinda obnoxious. But definitely hot."**

Sora snorted. Kairi looked at him oddly. "Roxas thinks Larxene was hot."

"**Ugh! He would!"** _That just means he's into blondes though, right? _Naminé had no response to that. Kairi was going to respond when suddenly Riku stiffened, his head whirling around, as if hunting for something.

"Riku?" she pressed.

"Something's wrong."

"Huh? What are you talking ab-

Suddenly, Sora's Keyblade flashed into existence. He stared at the magical weapon in confusion. _O…kay…it doesn't normally do that…_ **"Only when something really powerful is nearby…oh crap."**

"Oh crap." Riku spoke, unknowingly right when Roxas did.

A swirling vortex of black, midnight blues and murky purples formed in front of them.

"Uhh…guys…? Isn't that a-

"Dark Corridor." Riku spat. This _couldn't_ be good.

It wasn't.

From the murky gateway stepped an unfortunately familiar figure, one that had Sora staring in shock, and Riku simply tensing, ready for battle. "Xemnas…" The grey-haired teen bit out.

"Indeed. It is _good_ to see you all, my friends."

"Wuh…buh…_WHAT?!_ How are you not _dead_! We deaded you! You should be deader than dead! Like, ultra mega super dead!" Sora exclaimed wildly.

The tanned man gave a dark smirk. "Indeed I should…and I would be…were it not for a few…specific factors."

"Such as…" Riku pressed. _If we can figure out how he survived, we can figure out how to make him __**not**__ survive a second time._

"Your final act was to destroy a heart that I did not possess. You see, while your Keyblades may be capable of destroying a heartless, and a nobody, your last act wasn't to use the actual _Keyblade_ but instead a _function _of it. Thus, through my own will, I was able to survive…if barely."

"That's…bad…isn't it Sora…?" Kairi asked timidly. She was scared, and for good reason. She was doing alright in her training but…this guy…

She could _feel_ the power coming off of him.

"A third? Interesting." Xemnas muttered.

"You said 'a few'. Care to finish?" Riku pushed.

"Ahh yes, the next was thanks to a mysterious boy I found floating in the depths of a Dark Corridor. The light of his heart was simply _astounding_, possibly as great as even yours, Sora. Yes…but he was barely conscious when I found him, such a waste of a powerful existence…so I took it from him."

"You _killed_ him?!" Kairi yelped.

"In a sense. Truthfully I do not know what will become of his remains. I simply…exchanged his soul, for mine."

"So you hijacked his body? You can _do _that?!" Sora, ever the confused one, asked.

"Due to the circumstances, yes. You see, as you know we Nobodies are mere shadows, echoes of our former selves, lacking the hearts we once held, but retaining our soul and will. Considering we are little more than loose concepts inhabiting a barely existing form, it would be no surprise that we can potentially 'hijack' someone else's form, should our wills be stronger than theirs."

…_like when I started tearing up when we were leaving Twilight Town the first time…your emotions were leaking through. _**"I don't think it's exactly the same bro, but I'd say it's close enough."**

Still worried, but alert, Kairi was pondering something. _Ok…hear me out. I know he's full of himself and all that, but…why is he __**telling**__ us all this? It doesn't make sense. Like, aren't the badguys supposed to be __**smart**__ with this? _**"I dunno Kairi…maybe he's stalling for time?" **_Time for __**what**__ though?_

"So that's not even your real body anymore. You're just a parasite now!"

Xemnas frowned. "Yes I suppose you could call me that. But it will not matter for much longer."

Riku became very wary. "Why's that?"

"Because you will not exist." And suddenly, he was enveloped in a field of shadows, before being whisked away.

They all blinked. He didn't attack…he just…talked. And then left.

And then Riku 'saw' the trail. "DAMMIT! He's heading for the keyhole!"

"Wait what?!" Sora jumped.

"We have to go after him! He's going after the world's heart!"

They took off towards the 'secret place' that the door to the world's core existed. In their haste, they didn't notice a small glowing grey sphere appear behind them all.

_So…I see Keyblades still exist here. Looks like that guy wasn't talking out of his ass. Can't say I understand what he was going on about with that whole heartless and nobody crap but…he said a spirit can jump a body if the will is strong enough? Hmph. Asshole's lucky I was barely awake when he showed up. Dick. I can't remember how I got there, but I know one thing, I do __**not**__ want some shitlord like him running around in __**my**__ body._

_Ugh, I'm gonna need a lot of showers after this._

* * *

The trio reached the door to the World's Heart just in time to see Xemnas disappear in a wall of light, pulled towards the core.

"Dammit! We're too late!" Riku exclaimed.

He was about to rush after when Kairi called out.

"WAIT!"

The two stopped, turning to the female.

"Are you sure this is such a good idea? I mean, have either of you _been_ inside the Heart of a World? What if…what if just going there kills us? We don't know anything about this except the Keyholes act as barriers."

The two paused. Unfortunately it was a valid concern. The closest any of them got was when Sora fought Xehanort's Heartless back at the End of the World, the dark collaboration of the many worlds consumed by the Heartless. But there was little time. If they waited too long…

"…Believe in the Keyblade." Sora said, firmly.

The two looked at him.

"The Keyblade is the manifestation of our hearts, right? Well, we just have to believe in that. And in ourselves."

He rushed forward.

"Sora!" Kairi yelled, to no avail. He'd vanished in a flare of light.

"Ha…there he goes again…rushing off to save the world."

"Did he do this a lot while you two were gone?"

"From what I saw when Ansem was fixing his memories, yeah. But you know how he is. Once he gets an idea in his head he's gonna see it through."

Kairi nodded. "I know. It worries me sometimes, but in the end that's just another thing I lo-aaaahh like…about him."

Riku snorted. "Don't deny it. You love him. He feels the same way, he's just too dense to say it."

Kairi flushed. "Don't tell him…? Please? I want to be the one to say it."

Riku shook his head. "only if you do it after this."

"But…what if we-

"Then think of it as your reason to live." Riku said, before he walked forward into the light.

"My reason to live…" Kairi whispered to herself. After a moment, she nodded, and stepped forward as well.

The silver glow appeared once again.

_So the redhead's got a thing for the brunette. Interesting. He's got good taste. She's got a decent head on her shoulders too. And they both obviously value her opinion if they actually stopped in their charge. Hmm… I'd like to help out but…kinda need my body back before I can do anything. Hah…Elle'd be on my case something fierce if she knew I was thinking of playing matchmaker…_

The glow too, entered the light.

* * *

**Heart of the World: Destiny Islands**

"Welcome…chosen wielders of the Keyblade."

Blackness. Blackness surrounded them. The only light came from a brilliant sphere glowing a pale red. White wisps of energy swirled around it like a vortex as the sphere pulsed slowly, like a beating heart. It was a mysterious realm, devoid of all color, all sense of direction, save for the massive glowing 'heart' that gently pulsed with life and power. Just being near it put a heavy pressure on their hearts…but it wasn't one of discomfort.

Perhaps the world knew, they were there to protect it.

"This is…the heart of a world?" Kairi asked, awe in her voice. Even though the other two were tense and ready for battle, they too appreciated the beauty of the strange realm.

"Beautiful isn't it? The heart of a world is a glorious thing that few ever see. You should be honored to fall here." Xemnas quipped.

"Fall? Us? No. It's _you_ who's going to fall Xemnas. We'll make sure of it." Sora spoke, confident.

Xemnas gave a soft chuckle. "Indeed…? Very well, show me the strength of your hearts, wielders of the Keyblade!"

Before they could react, Xemnas had fired tendrils of spiraling black and white energy at them. The three of them leapt to the side, dodging the manifested Twilight Thorns. Sora and Riku grasped the currents of energy and to Kairi's amazement, phased their way to Xemnas, who disappeared in a flicker of movement before they could land a proper strike. The tan skinned man appeared in front of Kairi and with a small crackle and a snap-hiss, engaged weapon, the Ethereal Blade, and swung it at her. She barely ducked out of the way – _He's fast! -_ and tried to make an overhead swing as a counterattack, but was easily deflected by the much more experienced fighter's weapon. He spun with the deflection and kicked her in the back of the head, knocking her away.

Slipping behind the man, Sora brought Fenrir down upon Xemnas' head, causing the nobody to wince. Using the brief moment of stun-time, he followed up with a series of horizontal swings, twirling his blade around his hand while repeatedly twisting his body on each swing. Finally he jumped back and thrust forward with a finishing strike of the combo that held enough force to send Xemnas –who was hovering, as he does- flying back. Riku pushed heavily off of what he believed to be 'ground' and unleashed a flurry of slashes upon Xemnas, before ending with a forward flip with his blade extended. Xemnas quickly recovered and with an irritated huff, he flickered away again, this time sending out a clone to attack Riku with a series of backward flipping movements with both blades extended.

Spotting Kairi racing up from Xemnas' blind spot, Riku weathered the attack, giving her the opening she needed to perform a club swing with her own Keyblade into Xemnas' face, and follow up with a pivot on her foot and slamming it into his chest. Clearly he wasn't happy about being smashed with a powerful blunt object right in his nose, for he responded by launching another wave of Thorns. Riku, having long since gotten used to using his connections to someone's heart to grasp them and somehow 'ride' them to their side, flickered in front of Kairi and threw his hands forward, summoning a wide curved wall of energy, comprised of many smaller octagonal shapes that forced the attack to splinter out along the sides of the barrier.

Xemnas flickered away again, only to reappear near Sora, throwing a handful of small red orbs in a circle around the boy. Sora twirled his blade around in his hand and called up a transparent glowing orb of light just as the orbs turned into raging streaks and all attempted to crash into him. The protective field then splintered and then shattered creating a number of small explosions around the Keyblade Master. Xemnas, forgetting about the spells' annoying after-effect, was on a speedy approach when the energy field collapsed, and found himself mentally cursing as he was caught in the multiple energy detonations.

Riku saw an opening and blinked to Sora's side, lashing his left hand forward, five modest sized pale blue rockets of flame ripping from a distortion in front of his palm. Due to the close range of the attack, Xemnas could do nothing but eat fire, before he felt a number of pressures on his back and legs as Kairi ran up and started wailing away. Being shifted forward, he coughed as Sora jumped in and punched him in the gut, before pulling back and once again slamming his grey, bandaged weapon on the man's head, while Riku darted around in between Kairi's wild swings and delivered pinpoint slices to the man's midsection.

Pissed, in pain, and very burnt, Xemnas loosed a yell of irritation and lashed his arms out while forcing himself to twirl. The force of the movement, and the small wall of power he unleashed, threw the three Keybearers backward, each one giving a yelp of surprise.

Kairi was the first to her feet. She ran at Xemnas, holding her Keyblade to the side, mimicking Sora's stance. Xemnas threw his hand in front of him and a wall of light composed of transparent white rectangular boxes slammed into place. Her swing was deflected, and Xemnas took that opening to slam the red beams being emanated from his palms into her side, knocking her away rather painfully. Sora and Riku approached from both sides, trying to flank him and draw his attention away from Kairi, but the Nobody anticipated that maneuver and thrust his palms out sending tendrils of Thorns at them. Forgetting that they could just _ride_ the energy currents, he twitched as they both appeared at his sides, only to be blown backward as he decided to just launch a couple damn spheres.

Coughing, Kairi tried to rise, only to see Xemnas standing before her, arm crackling with energy as a small black and white vortex began to form around his hand.

"It would seem…you are their weakest link."

Her eyes widened. She cried out in pain as he kicked her right in the face. She hit the 'ground' heavily, only to yell out again as his now launched Thorns pierced her shoulders and hips, lifting her into the air. Still dazed, Sora and Riku could do nothing but try to stumble towards Xemnas, as he yanked his hand back, pulling her towards him, before the Thorns vanished. He engaged his Blades again, and made to swipe at her, only for her to thrust both feet forward, catching him in the chest with a makeshift dropkick, shunting him backwards.

Surprised, none of them saw, against the light of the World's Heart, the small glowing grey sphere slip through the space Xemnas once occupied, into Kairi's body.

The tan man recovered quickly, and angrily flew towards her position, only to be blown back by an invisible force that ripped from her form.

Sora and Riku looked at each other in surprise, as Kairi slowly got to her feet. She seemed to look down at her hands in surprise.

"EHHH?!" she suddenly exclaimed. Xemnas shook his head to re-align himself, only to blink in surprise as the red haired girl before him did something…strange.

Kairi seemed to look suddenly at her arms, feeling them, then feeling her wrists. Then, completely unexpectedly, she slapped her hands onto her chest.

Twice.

And then squeezed.

They saw her eyebrows raise, as if surprised, before she looked down at herself, pulling her top forward, as if trying to look down it. Then, she seemed to get a…strange, almost impressed look, before nodding. And then she froze.

_Wh-what the, HEY! What-PERVERT! Stop touching me! Stop it stop it stop it!_

"…I _MISSED?!_" She suddenly yelled, surprising all three males.

"How the shitting fuck did I _MISS?!_ How is _missing_ a fucking _thing?!_ Who coded fucking invincibility frames? Did someone fucking Clock Up before I got here? That was a _perfectly timed_ shot and somehow I _missed?!_ **WHY AM I A GIRL?!**"

_Who are you?!_ **Quiet woman! I need to think!**

The ferocity in the reply made her pause.

**Ok…I missed. I don't know how I missed but I missed…fuck it must have been that dropkick. Nice job with that by the way, even if it made me **_**miss**_**. Alright…ok…just need to swap from here to there…fuuuuuck I'm gonna have to get in close for this aren't I? shit that was my one shot at a ranged grab and it **_**missed.**_** I'm not letting you live this down by the way.** _Who are you? Why can't I move myself?! _**Because I'm in control of your body right now. Dammit this is gonna suck…** _In control of-WHAT?! No get out! Get out get out get out! Why were you touching me like that you pervert?!_

**Because I wasn't expecting to have a pair of **_**tits**_** suddenly! I thought I was seeing shit!**_THAT DOESN'T EXPLAIN WHY YOU SQUEEZED!_ **You have nice tits. And technically, this is currently **_**my **_**body so the correct verbage would be **_**I **_**have nice tits.** **...I never thought I'd say that. **_I…you…oh my god I can't think right now what the __**fuck**__._ **Look, if it makes you feel any better, think of it like this, **_**I **_**didn't touch you, **_**you**_** touched you. I just…made you do it. Y'know like whenever you're lying in bed thinking abou-**

_OH MY GOD SHUT UP RIGHT NOW!_

The mysterious _male_ voice in her head chuckled. **Nothing wrong with doing it Red. It's perfectly normal for someone your age. **_Maybe if __**I **__was doing it but I wasn't it was you and I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO YOU ARE!_ **Consider me a friend, right now. **_I don't HAVE friends who just show up out of NOWHERE AND MOLEST ME! _**Selphie.** _Y-…that doesn't count._ **Of course it does. **_No because I KNOW her! I __**DON'T **__know __**YOU!**_ **Aww give it time, we'll be the best of friends…we might have to be if I can't get my own body back.**

_Wait…you're the guy he was talking about? _**Yeah. Shitlord over there popped up while I was groggy from…I'm gonna call it 'space cryo' and next thing I know he's fucking my chest with his entire arm, and then I'm outside and he's **_**inside**_** and yes it's supposed to sound like some sick yaoi fanfic.** _I'm gonna puke. _**No you're not because I'm in control and I don't throw up at thinking of a guy chest-fucking another guy with his arm.**_ I'm gonna puke __**after **__you leave then._ **Yeah that might happen.**

"Kairi…?" Sora asked hesitantly, wondering why her face was constantly twisting in random emotions, and she was tilting her head and pivoting her hips randomly as if she were having a conversation with someone.

"I can't say I know what strange power you have used, girl…but it will be of no use!" Xemnas charged forward.

"KAIRI!"

**Ok…what can you do? **_What? _**Your skills, list them, fast. **_Uhh, uhh…I can sing. And I can cook, and I can kinda dance- _**COMBAT skills! **_I don't have any! I just started training three months ago! _**Fuck. Ok, do you have a weapon? **_Uhh…well I have my Keyblade-_** I can't use that. **_Why not? You're in __**my body**__ aren't you? _ She seemed to huff at this.

**I don't know how to call it. I never had one. You don't have anything else? A knife…or a rope even? **_Nope. _**…fuck. Punchyfist it is then. By the way, because you suck, I'm sending any pain from hitting this guy to you. **_What?! Hey! Screw you pal! _ **Gladly, but let me get my body back first ok? **_Oh eww eww EWW I did __**not**__ need that mental image, why would you __**DO **__that?_ **Cause I haven't gotten laid since Tia knows when and you just suggested- ** _I WASN'T SUGGESTING ANYTHING!_

"**Um…guys? I hate to break up your little lover's spat but Xemnas is kiiinda flying towards us with that glowing death laser hand of his."**

**Holy shit there's two of you?! You spirit whore! **_Who the HELL are you calling a whore?! She's my Other! _**You're into that sort of thing? **_SHE WAS MY NOBODY YOU ASS!_

Xemnas swung horizontally, only to watch as Kairi carelessly ducked underneath the swing. Blinking in surprise, he pivoted and brought his blade down in a vertical chop, where she gave a low hop backward, before stretching out and slamming her palm into his nose. He twitched back, left hand rising to stem the flow of sudden blood, only to jerk and coil forward as she'd just _punted_ him in the crotch, and then kicked him away with a counter-clockwise fan-kick with her right leg.

**You realize I don't know what that means right? Oh…wait…now I do. **_What? How-HEY! Stop looking at my memories! Oh GOD! Stop it! Those are private! _**Wow…I did **_**not**_** expect you to be into that. **_I swear to god if you tell __**anyone**__ about this- _**I'm currently a disembodied spirit inhabiting your form. Who am I gonna tell? **_ANYONE! Or did you miss your own statement about INHABITING MY BODY?!_ **Hey, other girl. Is she **_**always**_** this loud?**

"**Only in bed." **_NAMINÉ!_

Sora and Riku stared at Kairi in shock. "…wait…since when can she do that?" Riku asked. Sora just shrugged.

Xemnas shook his head fixing his nose, and huffed. _How unusual. She suddenly displays a combat prowess unseen before_.

He flickered away.

**Agh shit, he can Shunpo. **_He can what-po? _**Shunpo. Flash Step. Kinda like teleporting only it's basically really fast movement. Almost impossible to track. This is gonna be-THERE! **_GAH Don't yell suddenly like that!_

Kairi suddenly ducked, dodging the horizontal swing, then fell forward kicking both legs out like a donkey. Xemnas re-appeared, wind knocked out of him, only to see Kairi roll forward and then jump at him, left leg pulled back. He rose an arm to block, which he did, and then he winced and clutched at his face as Kairi had just _spit_ into his eyes. She ducked low and elbowed him in the gut, followed by a knee to his chest, before lashing her bent right leg outward and kicking him in the face, finishing by throwing her weight backward to use her left leg to kick him in the chin, and force him to rise.

From there she let out a kiai as she twirled on her right heel, gathering momentum for her to hop into the air, swinging her left leg outward, catching Xemnas in the side of the head with her left heel, where he was launched flying backward.

"…Kairi doesn't know how to do that." Riku muttered.

Sora frowned. "That's not Kairi."

"Xemnas said something about a boy…" Riku's eyes widened. "Wait, that's it! Kairi's being possessed by that guy! That's why she was yelling about 'missing'!"

Sora gaped. "…wait that means-

"He was touching her. _Improperly_."

"We kick his ass after this?"

"We kick his ass after this."

* * *

Xemnas was _not_ having fun. The girl had stopped using her Keyblade, but now was pulling all sorts of unexpected maneuvers. Like just now. She poked the hell out of him with her fingers acting like sharp knives while coiling around like a snake. And now she was _literally_ slapping him around, whirling her arms like a fan. What in the name of the many Hells was going on here?!

But there was something else going on. Something that nobody was noticing. The heart of the world was beginning to pulse wildly, unlike the original calm, patterned beats. Unknown to them, the energies that were being released were beginning to…infect…the Heart. Causing it to become unstable. The pulses were growing stronger, wilder, and the core was beginning to grow.

Thrown bodily onto the now growing Core, Xemnas felt his grip on the body weakening. Suddenly Kairi got a very deranged glint in her eyes.

**Yesss…this is it. Well girl, it's been fun. Try to do me a favor and go get laid for me seeing as I probably won't be in any condition to for a while? **_What the hell are you on about now?_

She was just…tired. Today had literally been a mindfuck. Hell she was lucky this random guy had satisfied himself just touching her chest…if he'd gone any lower…as it was she'd probably have nightmares about this. At that thought, she actually_ felt_ him frown.

**Look, I'm sorry, ok? I got caught up in the moment. Not a good excuse but still. Better I know **_**exactly**_** how your body feels and looks in case I'm stuck in it, y'know? **_Right, there was __**no **__perversion involved at all. _**Yeah there was some. I'm not gonna bullshit you. But knowing your body means I know how I can work it. You have no weapon, and I can fight barehanded, as you obviously know, but I needed to know how far I could push it before it started pushing **_**back**_**. A lot of these things I've been doing, I've never done before because these are moves used by **_**women**_**.**

_Seriously…?_ Now she was actually kinda interested. She felt a mental 'nod'.

**Yeah. These girls are kick ass as hell. So I was just emulating them. But the majority of them have pretty big tits so knowing where yours stood in comparison would help me know if I had to compensate for bounce. You're not wearing proper clothing for serious combat, let alone a giant rack, which thankfully you don't have – **here, he felt her mental glare – **hey they're nice regardless, really. **_You would know. _**Yes. I would. Which is why I'm telling you you're in a good frame to be pulling this stuff off. Just keep doing what you've been doing, and you'll be good to go. Hell, who knows, maybe some day after I'm back in my own skin again, we'll run into each other and you can try to kick my ass for it.**

_You serious? Are you telling me you'd let me beat you up for touching me like that? _**Well I wouldn't **_**let**_** you. You'd have to work for it. But considering I was technically, and ONLY technically in the wrong, morally, I'd let you have as many shots as you wanted till you either succeeded or called it quits. **_Why?_** Cause that's how I do things. I can't deny there wasn't any perverted intent in me feeling you up, but I also can't deny that it didn't help me know what I could and couldn't do in your body, to keep **_**both**_** of us from dying to this bastard.**

_And if I lost too many times? If I asked you to train me?_

**I get my body back? Any time, any place. I knew enough girls who could kick my ass that I could teach you a couple things.**

_Deal. I'm Kairi._

**Seth. You're a good girl, Kairi. I like you. And that's saying something cause I usually hate people. **_Thanks…I think_.

Suddenly she felt…strange. An unusual distortion was forming around her right hand, as her face stared deep into the eyes of Xemnas, who was being eaten away by the unstable energies of the core.

**By the way…this might feel weird.** _Huh?_

"EAT SHIT AND DIE, FUCKER!" Kairi suddenly yelled, lashing her hand into Xemnas' chest, where an unusual vortex of grey and violet wisps spiraled around. Xemnas thrashed in futility, roaring in agony as Kairi's arm seemed to vibrate, as she pulled it back, a glowing sphere coming with it. She threw the sphere away, into the raging energy storm in front of them, before grabbing Xemnas' shoulders.

**Later Kairi, Other Kairi. It's been real.** _Wait wha-_

She felt an odd sensation, like suddenly all her senses were 'waking up' as a pale grey humanoid echo seemed to rip from her body, into that of Xemnas. The raging storm of the World's Heart pulsed violently, throwing them backward, where she crashed into Sora and Riku, who had jumped up to catch her. The lifeless body of Xemnas was thrown far away, where a distortion of black and violet energy engulfed it.

"Kairi!" Sora called to her face. Her eyes were blank, bringing him back to the days of her heart being lost, but suddenly she blinked, her eyes focusing, before she shook her head.

"S-Sora…?" She croaked, as if not used to using her voice. Which she wasn't. Hell, her body felt sore all over.

A brilliant flare of light stopped any of the three from speaking, as suddenly a wave of _pain_ washed over all of them, before the light engulfed them.

* * *

Beams of light erupted from the ground. The ocean waves warped and twisted, the ground cracked as huge fissures appeared with glowing silver energy erupting from them. Pillars of white and red reached for the heavens. People screamed, buildings collapsed as huge chunks of rock launched into the sky, and then fell from the air.

From space, all you could see were beams of light suddenly appearing on the planet's surface, almost as if the hand of a God were scribbling upon it…and suddenly, the planet became one big sphere of white…

Rings of force emanated from the sphere, shockwaves of power that not even the vacuum of space could silence. Energy lanced around the sphere as it burned itself to extinction. The links of both light and shadow that tied that world to the collective were overloaded, and the shockwaves traveled through them, echoed on every world that was connected to that one. Sudden gusts of wind would appear, a strange unsettling feeling that something terrible just happened washed over their inhabitants as the final cries of the dying planet reached the cores of those it was bound to. The boundaries between light and dark weakened and cracked…

Destiny Islands…

The world that housed the Keyblade Bearers…

The world where it all began…

Was completely…

Utterly…

Entirely…

**Destroyed…**

* * *

**A/N: **Welcome to the remake of The Thirteenth Order. As you can no doubt tell by this, this is a rewrite, with hopefully a more coherent plot. The same general plotline will occur as in the original, however with the unleashing of Days and BBS, i will be adding in information and character plotlines from those stories as well. There _is_ a reason this is located under Kairi and Xion. though those of you hoping that they would be in a lesbian romantic or sexual relationship with one another, i'm sorry but you will be dissapointed.

i currently plan on making this my primary focus, considering that Xion has infiltrated my head and heart for the time being, as well as with this being a general rewrite, i dont have as much _new_ to do. alter some sequences, remove some things, compress other events...but generally will retain the same plotline. Though this will slightly explore, at least in the first few chapters, more of the connection between Seth and Kairi, as well as the consequences of him basically having his first impression be that of a massive perverted asshole. Those of you who know the many incarnations of Zero "Seth" Shinzaki, know that he isnt one, though he will freely admit he is indeed a massive pervert, but these characters do not.

there are many things that will change, during this rewrite, though many will remain the same, and some will have only minor alterations. my inspiration is both Xion herself, as well as the fact that i consider it a failed project, if i only want to bother reading it from the middle, on. Compared to my NiGHTS into Dreams story: Inception, where even if i just want to start at a particular chapter, i find myself compelled to read it from start to finish. I consider this difference in quality a problem, and this rewrite will rectify it as such. Due to this, i implore anyone reading this who was a fan of my original, to change this to your favorites instead, for once this is fully posted, i will most likely delete the original, though i _do_ like some of the scenes.

i will not spoil exactly what will be different, other than Xion will make multiple appearances and eventually become a permanent member of the cast. and before anyone speaks up, not only does my research into DreamDropDistance (research because i own not a 3DS nor can i afford to purchase one in the forseeable future) claim that Roxas remembers her during a specific scene, but also i've puzzled out my own reasonings as to how it to be possible for her to continue to exist. one you will learn in the next two chapters.

Well, i suppose my report has gone long enough. Welcome, to all new readers, and welcome back to old fans. I hope you enjoy the ride.


	3. New Space Old Face

Pain.

But…not horrible pain.

Just a twinge here and there.

The pain was what woke him. A soft groan rising from the back of his throat. His body felt heavy…

_My body!_

He shot up, wincing as his head seemed to pulse, protesting the sudden action. His hand felt a cold surface.

Ahh, no wonder he was in pain. Whatever he'd been laying on wasn't soft in the slightest. He opened his eyes, looking at himself. Blood red shirt, black symbol looking like a cross between a hazard sign made of triangles with a ring around the center one and the tri-force. Black jacket with the sleeves torn off. Literally. He tore them off one day in a fit of rarely physically expressed rage. It was one of his few cherished friends that tailored it so it wouldn't fall apart. The back of the jacket held a different symbol, one in white: a ringed cross connected into an infinity symbol, six sword-tipped shapes extending from the edges of the ring, fanned out like wings.

Both crests were his own make, though one was more a tribute than anything. Happy with his discovery he continued to check. Dark blue slacks, black sneakers. Ok, he was definitely inside his own clothes. He looked at his hands. Light chocolate brown skin…a quick check of his chest and a grab at his crotch confirmed, he was back in his body. Or at least, a very similar copy. Either way, it worked. Pushing black locks out of his face, he sighed in contentment. He was back in his own skin again.

While it was an…interesting experience, being inside a girl's body – and not in the sexual manner - he preferred his own, as one would. He was never the most athletic of people, but because of…because of…

…_oh fuck I can't remember. Shit. Gaaaah…dammit._

He knew _something_ happened, that led to him being in that void. _Dark Corridor. Gotta remember that._ But he couldn't recall exactly _what_. All he remembered was that Keyblades were involved…and he never had one.

_**Hey…**_

His head shot up. _…dafuq? _Yes…he actually thought that word. He thought many strange words.

_**Can you get up?**_

_Uhh…_ Someone was speaking to him. It sounded…vaguely feminine, and very distant. He climbed to his feet, stretching, working the kinks out of his body. It was then, that he noticed he seemed to be…somewhere else.

_O…kay…this is new._

Beneath his feet seemed to be a wide platform comprised of some of the most beautiful stained glass he'd ever seen. Like with nearly every design, it held a picture, telling a tale. This picture was of a naked, black haired child, arms in front of her chest, clasped together as if in prayer. Around her were many blank figures in the shape of humans, wreathed in shadow, menacing though they were faceless. A closer look showed dark streaks down her face, tear marks, as well as what looked like blood and…something else…around the corners of her mouth, streaking down the sides of her chin. A few of the shadowed figures had what looked like red silhouettes of key shapes on where their chests would be. Behind all the men was another figure, this one cloaked in twisting white and black, two key marks extending from where its shoulders would be, like wings, while a third was in hand.

Crumpled shapes of buildings scattered the background of the strange picture, a blood red sky with a massive black gash torn through it as if the hand of God had ripped it open himself. Barely noticeable, inside the dark mass were pink glittering shapes. Along the very edge of the circular platform was a pattern of black hearts.

_**Good. Now, step forward.**_

Not knowing just _why_ he was obeying a disembodied voice - perhaps because it was _a disembodied motherfucking voice_ - he began to walk towards the center of the platform, not really liking stepping on a child, even if it _was _a picture. As he reached what appeared to be the center of the massive construct, he felt a small rumble beneath his feet. To his sides, and before him, small, four edged pedestals began to rise. They were rather plain, save for the strange carvings upon them, but the biggest surprise was when three weapons appeared. To his left, was a sword. His front, a small rod topped with what looked like the head of a cartoon mouse. And to his right, a shield.

Confused, he went left first, looking at the sword. It was a straight-sword, it looked heavy.

_**The power of the warrior. Invincible courage. A sword of terrible destruction.**_

He stepped back, deciding to look at the strange wand-thing.

Blue tip, primarily green shaft. Very childish, in his mind.

_**The power of the mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin.**_

Like before, he stepped away, this time approaching the shield. It was black with red trim, something that made him grin a little, being two of his favorite colors. Like with the other two weapons, it bore that strange mouse head crest.

_**The power of the guardian. Kindness to aid friends. A shield to repel all.**_

He stepped back again, returning to the center, before looking into the dark abyss above.

"Ok what am I supposed to do here?"

_**Choose your path. One will be held, the next, discarded.**_

"…Discarded…? Wait. I pick one…and lose the powers of the other?" The silence was his answer.

"…no. I refuse. That's not how it works. According to your descriptions there's two destructive powers and one support. Where's the healing? Hell, that aside, I pick sword and staff? I get close-range and lose projectiles. I'm crap. I pick staff and sword? I get magic but shit physical. Crap again. I pick shield first? I lose a venue of attack, just as bad. I pick shield second? I lose my defenses. Bad again. 'Inner strength'? 'Invincible courage'? 'Kindness to aid friends?' I pick one of those, I lose one of the others. Sorry, I don't play games where I lose a piece of my personality for power. I don't know where I am, or who you are, but I refuse. I'll make my own path, under my own power. I value all three of those things in equal amounts, only rising depending on the situation, then it all balances out again. So no, I won't choose."

He stepped away, turning his back on all three. To his surprise, another rumbling went through the ground. _Welp, now I pissed it off. Whatever. I'll deal with it and find my way out of this place…_

But the rumbling didn't signify an attack. No…it was a fourth pedestal. One with an unusual device.

He stared at it, approaching slowly.

_**The power of the Dreamer. The sign of one who follows their heart. Armor, to protect what you cherish.**_

He grinned. A circular device resembling some sort of belt buckle sat on the pedestal. It had four, claw looking shapes reaching in front of it. He touched it, and jumped as beneath the glass surface, an almost flesh-like membrane spiraled open, revealing a slightly glowing eye. He blinked rapidly, before giving a soft smile. "Good morning. I think."

To his surprise, the eye seemed to look him over, before the strange film closed slightly, almost as if it were _smiling_ at him. He noticed, through his fingers, that the sides of the 'buckle' were slit, as if you were able to slide something through them. Right after he made this mental observation, the device vanished from his hands in a wave of light, before appearing on his waist, a ring of chains wrapping around him, before they melded together into a black band, creating a belt. It was snug to his body, but not so tight he couldn't breathe. He grinned again.

"Oh I like this."

_**You choose the power of the Dreamer. You renounce the powers of the others. Is this the form your will takes?**_

"If by 'renounce' you mean I don't choose any single one of them, but merely a different form of all, then yes."

At that, a loud crack appeared beneath his feet. "Awe shit."

The ground shattered, and he fell. He sighed to himself. _Should have known that would happen…_

Slowly, a glowing light appeared beneath him. _Aim for the light and hope it's not death? Sounds like a plan._

As he approached, he calmed himself, reaching his senses deep within his body. _Time to see if I've still got it…_

The light revealed itself to be another platform. This time, of what looked like a person facing off against a massive dragon with twelve wings. _And I hope that's not a warning._

Yet, as the picture got bigger, he could see, the figure was small. Very small. And behind it, was another, on the ground, as if dead or unconscious. The small figure had what passed for its arms spread out, a tiny glittering pink asterisk shape at its chest. As if the smaller figure were defending the larger one, from the dragon.

After he got close enough to the ground, or rather what he _felt_ was close enough, he focused his mind, and _pushed_. To his relief, he felt a wave of power wash through his body, a familiar feeling. Were there to be any observers, they'd have seen the air around him ripple and distort, before his descent slowed dramatically. He sighed heavily, relieved. Suddenly a wave of _something_ washed over him. The hairs on his neck began to stand, as if his body, his heart, was sensing something approaching.

He whirled around to see a small, wiggling black mass _inside_ the ground.

…_I ask again: dafuq?_

_**You have obtained the power to fight.**_

"…Fight…? Fight _that?_"

It wiggled and shot out of the ground. Its form was…like a cross between an ant and a child. A round, spherical shaped head that was wider than its body would suggest capable of holding upright with two antennae sticking forward, slightly oval shaped body with two arms leading into three claws, and two legs leading into pointed feet, but no toes. _It's…kinda cute actually._ It seemed to not be able to stop moving, constantly twitching around, its eyes being bright yellow dots on its nearly pitch-black body staring at him, before it jumped at him and slashed out a claw.

He leaned back, a small cut appearing on his left arm where he blocked the sudden attack, before an irritated frown appeared on his face. He lashed out with his right hand, fingers straight and slapped it on the head.

"No! Bad ant-child. No cutty."

It recoiled, and seemed to blink, before leaning its head back and staring. The young man's stern voice was odd to it. The heart-bearer held a face of dislike, but…it felt no hatred. No judgment. This heart-bearer was strange. It was drawn to the heart-bearer's light, the hunger inside it making it want to consume it…but the heart-bearer seemed to hold a darkness that comforted it.

The young man watched as it constantly twitched its head, its antennae flicking up and down, left and right, as if it were trying to get a read on him. He remained calm, just watching it. Minding the movement of its claws, trying to keep in mind the lessons on dealing with certain animals one of his closest had taught him. Most don't like when you stare into their eyes, they think it's a challenge of some sort, by a predator. Even if they're used to you, or your loyal pets, sometimes they get confused by the action.

He wanted to reach out and pet it but at the same time, knew it had to make the first move. It _did_ attack him, after all.

Why was this heart-bearer so familiar to it? For the first time, it felt something other than hunger. _Confusion_. It felt a desire for something other than food.

To his surprise, it just melted into the ground, before skittering away. "O…kay…" He winced, realizing that his wound was itching something fierce. He spat on his hand and rubbed it on the cut, grimacing. _That's gonna be irritating later._ It was a shallow cut, but still. As he stood from his crouched position, he saw a series of stained glass squares, suspended in mid-air, begin to form.

_Guess I gotta go that way then._

* * *

After what felt like hours of walking, he found himself on yet another platform. This one bore two girls, one with red hair, and one with pale blonde. The redhead was clad mostly in pink and white, while the blonde wore what looked like a simple pure white sleeveless dress. Both of their eyes were closed, and they seemed to be leaning on the borders of the first internal ring. The two girls had their left and right arms outstretched, facing one another, their hands coming together in the shape of a mock heart. But behind them, small, as if very far away, seemed to be a third figure, completely black. Chains were around the girls, binding their two hands together, and reaching backward towards the black shape, where they seemed broken and faded.

The girl on the right was on the sand of a beach, the air behind her resembling a sunset, the girl on the left was surrounded by bleached white, as if trapped in a void of madness, and the final figure seemed to be standing in front of an impressively tall tower, as if looking up at it.

He admired the scene, swearing he recognized the redhead from somewhere.

But he had no time to think, the ground began to rumble as he reached the center of the platform.

_**But beware…**_

Something felt strange. He looked down, seeing his shadow. _Odd…that wasn't…ah crap._

His shadow began to grow.

_**Even the brightest light, casts a shadow.**_

Wisps of black and violet began to surround his abnormally extended shadow, before it literally rose out of the ground, mutating into a massive humanoid shaped demon with straggly black hair sticking up all over the place, small glowing yellow points for eyes, a muscular body and a **massive** hole in its torso the shape of a heart.

"Holy shit are you a Hollow?!" _What the hell's a hollow and why do I think this thing is one of th-OH CRAP!_

The response he got was for the massive Darkside to attempt to smash him into the ground with its fist. The young man jumped aside noting the wave of force, but no dust or shattered anything. …_Ok this place is sturdier than I thought._

However, he _did_ see the glowing spiral of inky black around the creature's fist. From that spiral formed many of the small wiggling creatures like the one that appeared before. _I'm gonna guess they __**aren't **__gonna randomly fuck-off like the other one did…_

They didn't. Sensing the power of his heart, they raced for his position.

"Uhh…belt…now would be a good time to do something!"

Nothing happened. "Dammit voice!" He jumped to the side, evading a lunging double clawed grab attempt.

_**Don't be afraid. You hold the power to fight.**_

"Yeah I just don't know how to _use_ it!" In an attempt to repel them, he thrust his hand out, focusing on the feeling of pressure, channeling the will for them to _go away_, outward. To his mild surprise, his arm buckled as a wall of almost _visible_ force ripped through the air, crashing into the strange black creatures, causing them to shatter into small bursts of black and violet wisps. He looked at his hand, confused. _It…wasn't that powerful before. Not unless I was extremely pissed off…_ He paused for a moment.

…_but…I've been asleep for such a long time…could…that guy…no. No his powers were different than mine, and even if somehow I got his power, it wouldn't come out like merely an enhancement of my own…at least…I don't think it would. No…this…this is __**me**__._ A soft grin appeared on his face.

_I'm not a weakling anymore._

The sound of rushing air caused his head to snap up, a massive black fist reaching for his location. He pushed the feeling of pressure at his feet, _rocketing_ backwards, out of the range of his attacker's swing. He landed roughly, stumbling a few steps backward, unused to _that_ amount of force. Once again, the murky distortion appeared on the ground. _Ok…I can't hurt it with just my fists, boosted Well or not. It's too big, and I don't know how to Tsunade something…yet. I don't think the belt is inert, but I don't know how to activate it._ He kicked away one of the smaller creatures, lashing his arm out while focusing on another, watching as it jerked violently before being sent flying like a missile into some others. He tried stepping on one of them while it was somehow merged into the ground, but quickly noted that did absolutely nothing.

_Like stepping on someone's shadow. Doesn't do jack shit._

He noticed this time, as the massive 'Hollow' as he called it, pulled its arm back out of the ground. Kicking away the last of the shadow creatures, he tried to figure out how to work his supposed power. "Dammit belt how do I work you?!"

_Ok think. Maybe the voice told me something and I'm not interpreting it right._

He jumped out of the way of another punch, absently growling at the sight of more of the shadows. _Fuck…ok. 'Power of the Dreamer'. The fuck does __**that**__ mean? Dreamer…dreamer…dreams are creations of the mind while we sleep. But…maybe that's too literal._ He jumped around, lashing out once in a while, trying to keep the shadows at bay while he rushed his thoughts. _But…a 'dream' is also the term for a conceptual vision. An ideal, a goal, an idea. The power of a Dream is…the power of one's imagination? So I have to imagine something? Ok…armor…armor it said…to protect? To protect what I cherish. But…I don't cherish-_

He stopped.

He'd lost everything.

But he still _cherished_ it all.

…_I do cherish something. Many somethings. I cherish the bonds I had with my friends. With Elle and Lynn and Revan and the others. Even the people who turned into complete assholes, I cherish the time we had before they fell into corruption. I don't…I can't remember what happened, how I ended up in that void…but I know they're all gone. And I know it had __**something**__ to do with the Keyblade._

_I need to find out. I need to see…just what happened to my home. That's my will. But to do it, I need to kill this thing. I need armor, to keep me safe while I do it, and maybe even to help me do it. Armor…I need to be fast, so it can't be too heavy. Fast…like…like Jehuty! Or…or Karas! That's it! If I could be fast like Jehuty, even fly or something…I'd be golden!_

_Ok…I've got the image in mind…now how the __**hell**__ do I call it out?_

The massive man-beast slammed another fist into the ground…but this time…a piece of the ground chipped off. A small fragment cracked and flew into the air, landing at his feet. The fragment was grey, shaped like a perfectly cut piece of crystal, four diagonal edges leading into four points. It was about the length of his hand and slightly thick. Picking it up, he looked it over, and saw what seemed to be a small black symbol _inside_ the shard. _That's…_

It was the same one that was on his shirt. _If that's not proof this is my trigger, I don't know __**what**__ is._

He looked up, to see a group of small shadows wiggling towards him…and smirked. Clutching the shard in hand, he swung his left arm across his chest raised slightly, hand holding the shard out, as if showing it to the creatures, who actually paused.

The shard began to glow faintly, as a haunting tune began to echo around the area, a fast set of organ pedals being played, punctuated every other second by a loud bell.

"_**HENSHIN!**_"

He pulled his arm back, lowered it, and thrust it to the right side again, opening his hand to slide the crystal into the left slot on the eye-buckle. The moment he did, the iris opened up, eye flaring with a dark violet light. A synthetic male voice echoed.

_**Crow Form**_

A burst of light ripped from the buckle, shattering into small fragments of energy that spiraled around him before crashing into his body. The light grew blinding before it seemed to pulse, vanishing in a wave of sparks and grey particles. There, where once stood a young man wearing casual looking clothing, stood an armored being.

A small black chest-plate over a dark grey bodysuit, similarly black armor covering the legs save for the inner calves and thigh areas, leading into small black armored boots with strange vent-like protrusions connecting the open joints of the knees. A pair of small, angled pauldrons were on his shoulders with glowing dark violet crystals at the tips, the armor upon his arms leading into pale grey gloved hands that ended in small claws.

He had a pair of strange looking wing-like vent protrusions with dark violet crystals in the form of mock-feathers inside, coming from his spine reaching just above his shoulders, and what appeared to be a hood-like grey helm reaching into an almost bird-like visor, two glowing violet slants for eyes upon the head of the visor, a black glass-like object underneath it in a large V shape reaching up-backward like horns. All this, and along his body were glowing violet strands of light extending from somewhere inside his chest-plate, streaming outward like blood flowing through veins, pulsing regularly like beats of a heart.

_Kamen Rider…Karas. FUCK YES! IT WORKED!_

It was strange. The heart-bearer's presence was suddenly…muffled. They couldn't feel him as easily.

But the shadows had no time to ponder the new development. They were reduced to black wisps in seconds.

_HOLY SHIT I'm fast! AWWW SHIET SON!_

The Darkside pulled back its fist, only to jerk backward as suddenly the armored teen was in its face, punching it repeatedly, before bouncing back from a double-footed dropkick. The vent-wings opened up as he flipped backward, tucked into a ball, before he touched the ground, allowing him a soft landing. _Wow I didn't even need to use my Well for that. Eeeeee…heeee hee heee heeee!_ He mentally giggled like a little schoolgirl. Could one blame him? Flight was always his greatest dream, and though he could manipulate gravity to an extent (which was now enhanced for some reason, be it the belt or because of other forces) he could never touch the skies without help.

Now he could. Not only that, but he was kicking serious ass.

The Darkside gave a gravely roar, before pulling both its arms back, as a glowing violet light appeared at the core of its heart-shaped hole. Suddenly, his mind got a flash of a large black shadow monster with a white face – almost like a mask – and a long nose opening its mouth as a sphere of black and red formed, before it ripped outward in a beam of energy.

_That_ was a Hollow.

"…is that thing charging a fucking _Cero_…?" He asked himself incredulously, as information rose from the back of his mind like a phantom. "HOLY SHIT YOU _**ARE **_A HOLLOW ARENT YOU?!"

His answer was the violet light to emerge as a giant orb of power.

"Yeah well…uhh…TWO CAN PLAY AT THAT GAME!"

He pulled his right arm back, hand cupped as if holding something. To his mild surprise – and great elation – a wave of semi-transparent black seemed to form around him before shrinking to fit in the palm of his hand as a small, crackling black orb. He gripped the air around it – for it was emitting a powerful pressure, and its compressed gravitational force was being contained within an invisible shell – and hurled it.

"_THIS _is a Cero! Have it back motherfucker!"

The smaller orb slammed into the larger, violet one, causing both to destabilize and detonate in a massive explosion of dark energy and crushing pressure. He pushed out his own field of pressure to counteract the shockwave, waiting for the light to fade and the energy to clear. When it did, the Darkside looked in pain, weakened.

"Time to finish this." _And I've got just the idea how._ He reached down to the belt, grasping one of the protruding tips of the shard he slotted into the buckle to summon the armor, pulling it out before using his right first two fingers to grip one of the claw shaped ridges and _shift_ the buckle so the slots were vertical. He then slammed the shard back in, and once again the synthetic male voice spoke echoingly.

_**Full Charge**_

Violet energy began crackling around the four claw tips on the buckle, until it gathered at the core, where the Eye was.

"Rider Kick!" He called, digging his right leg into the ground.

"_**RIDER…KICK." **_The voice echoed, as the energy formed into streams of electricity that raced along his hips down his right leg to encase his foot in their sparking embrace. The vents flared open and he shot forward, the sudden momentum slightly throwing off his balance. He turned his near-flail into a single controlled revolution, bringing his right leg back and across the face of the Darkside with a mighty cry of triumph. The crackling energy slammed into the side of the giant heartless' (or 'hollow' as he saw it currently) face ripping through its shadowy flesh and along its body.

The Darkside gave a gurgling cry as the glow of its eyes faded. He landed softly on his feet, before the belt glowed again and the armor shimmered before splintering away. _uhh…crap I didn't tell it to do that!_ He looked up to see the giant black monster-man fall forward bursting into a heavy cloud of black and violet smoke which crashed into him. The force knocked him backwards where he hit his head on the ground, vision becoming blurry.

_Oh…that's not…good…_

The last thing he saw, was a pair of glowing yellow orbs staring into his eyes from overhead…

**Kingdom Hearts RE: Order**

**Chapter II: **_**New Spaces, Old Faces**_

"Hey! Riku! She's waking up!"

"Agh…not so loud Sora… My head hurts enough already…"

"Ah, sorry…"

"You alright there Kairi? You were out for a while."

"Yeah…I'm fine…um…hey, where are we?"

The red-haired teen looked around. Behind her was a cliff, leading to a ravine. Around her were beautiful trees and flowers, until a certain point where it became dirt path between two big hills.

"I don't know. We were waiting for you before we went anywhere…"

The girl slowly climbed to her feet, swaying slightly as a wave of dizziness washed over her. **"Hey, are you alright?" **_Yeah…just a bit wobbly…that's all. What happened? _**"I don't know, the last thing I remember is that guy flying past us and then everything went white…" **_Well…we aren't dead. _**"True enough."**

"Kairi?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry Sora. I was talking to Naminé."

"Are you feeling alright?" Riku asked.

"A bit dizzy…why?"

"Well, first off we don't know what that light did to us…besides bring us here. Second…you weren't…acting like yourself back there."

Kairi froze, remembering the guy who'd suddenly invaded her personal space in the _worst_ way. She swallowed heavily. "Y-yeah. That's…umm…" She looked down. "…there's a reason for that…"

"Do you…wanna talk about it?" Sora questioned softly.

"…it felt…strange. Like I was seeing through my eyes…feeling myself move…but it wasn't me doing the moving. And there was another voice…one that wasn't Naminé. A guy." Sora and Riku traded looks.

"He…well…you saw it. He made me feel myself up practically." She gave an empty laugh. "It was _horrifying_. But…he said that it was mostly cause he needed to know how my body worked, so he could use it to get _his_ back."

"And you believed him?" Riku scoffed.

"…I didn't feel like he was lying. We were sharing the same conceptual space, so any dishonesty he'd projected I'd have picked up on. Everything he told me was absolute truth…everything." She said absently.

"…uhh…what?" Sora stared at her, confused.

"…what?" Kairi responded, just as confused.

"What was that?" Sora pushed.

"What was what?"

"That…that whole explanation. 'conceptual space'? What is that?"

"I don't…" She paused. Suddenly it all hit her. "Conceptual space is what it means, a spatial coordinate that lies in the immaterial. All of existence lies in its own brand of conceptual space; being the intangible area of literal concept that a body, mind, soul or otherwise inert presence inhabits. His existence was housed inside my body, inside my mental construct while he held control over my motor functions. Because of this, he was literally within the same conceptual space as I was, because his concept of existence and my own were linked for a short period of time."

The two stared at her.

"…**ok even **_**I **_**want to know where all that came from."** Blurted Naminé.

"…what did he _do_ to you…?" Riku whispered, horrified.

Kairi frowned. "He didn't _do_ anything, beyond the initial unwanted physical contact. But like he said technically _he_ was the owner of this body for that period of time, since his conceptual existence, and his will, were stronger than mine. So literally he was touching himself…just a different shell. Other than that, all he did was use his knowledge of combat to keep Xemnas at bay while he calculated the required energy patterns to throw the invader out of his body, so he could peacefully leave mine."

"No, Kairi, he did something to you. You…ok you're smart but…this…all that is _beyond_ you. It's beyond _me_ and I studied with Ansem for a little while." Riku pushed.

Suddenly she started feeling uneasy. Worried. "I…I don't know. I just…I wanted to understand, and then suddenly I _did._ I mean…I _felt_ him leaving. And I've got control over my own body again but…"

_Hey Roxas, what do you think about all this?_ _…Roxas?_

No response. Sora frowned and closed his eyes, trying to sense the 'presence' that was usually his Other. His eyes snapped open.

"uhh…guys…I can't feel Roxas anymore."

The other two stared at Sora. Kairi started panicking, breaths coming out quickly. **"Kairi! Calm down!"**

"Kairi, relax! Listen, just calm down. We'll figure out where we are first, and then we'll go from there, ok?"

She nodded, heartbeat slowing to a more manageable rate.

* * *

After a few minutes of walking, they found themselves staring in awe at a massive waterfall cresting a set of rope bridges suspended above a river. "Hey, there's people over there!" Kairi exclaimed. The three ran across the bridges, to catch up with the small group of four people along the other side of the river.

"Excuse me!" She called out to them. The four turned around, and the three teens ground to a halt, staring in surprise.

"T-Tidus?!" Kairi exclaimed.

The sole male of the group, a tall, sandy haired man tilted his head at the girl. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"Dude…it's us. Y'know, Sora?"

Upon hearing the name, the blonde man twitched violently. His hand shot to his forehead, as if to stave off a powerful headache.

"So…ra…?" The name was _echoing_ in his head. A violent agony ripping through his skull. He dropped to his knees with a sharp cry of pain. Sora and the others jumped, stepping backwards in surprise, as two of the three girls he was with dropped with him, grasping his shoulders. The third, a silver haired woman with a clear love for the color black, drew a blade, staring at the group coldly.

* * *

A boy, just older than him.

Large garishly yellow shoes.

A wide grin.

Himself, holding a red-oak wooden rod, the boy holding a wooden sword.

A girl, short red hair cropped to just below her ears.

Another boy, taller, more muscular, a cold determination in his eyes.

A series of islands.

A horrible storm.

Small black creatures racing at him.

Swinging his rod, pointlessly. They were invincible. He couldn't hurt them.

Falling back in fear and pain as sharp claws sliced his torso.

Staring in shock as a massive ball of swirling black and purple formed in the sky.

Nothing.

Brightness.

Waking up on the beach, clothes torn, but no injuries.

The girl from before, older, prettier.

Another girl, chestnut brown hair, odd curls at the sides of her head.

Wakka, younger.

The girl talking about a boy, a boy nobody remembered, but she knew she felt strongly for.

Remembering.

A bipedal Mouse. A talking Dog wearing a Hat. A Duck holding a staff.

Kairi.

Riku.

Sora.

_The Islands._

* * *

A figure stirred.

Slowly, the figure rose. _Ugh…what hit me…?_

The sound of crashing waves.

_Beach?_

The figure stood, wobbling at first, but then looking around. _Was it…a dream?_ A weight around his hips. He looked down. The belt was there, or rather, a faded image of it. _No…it was real. I transformed. I fought a giant shadow monster person not-hollow…thing._

He continued scanning his surroundings. He was indeed on a beach…but it was night. Or at least, it seemed to be night. A bright glowing orb off in the distance slightly illuminated the waterfront.

_Well…I don't see, or hear a Hydra…and I don't see a blanket of fog above me…so I doubt I'm in Lordran…which means this isn't Ash Lake and I don't have to worry about those damn curse frogs._

He walked towards the water.

_I love how I can remember various things like that and yet not a damn thing about my actual home. Only scattered information on things that the back of my mind says 'came from random ass media'. Ugh…_

Well…it was water. He didn't really know what he expected to find. _Ok…where the __**fuck**__ am I?_

_Dark Meridian._

…_wait where the hell did that come from?_

"The world…of Darkness…?" He looked to the sky. "I'm…stuck here…?"

* * *

She walked along the sandy pathway, between massive rocks. She sighed heavily. _How long have I been here now? Ugh…I hate this place. I can't even get a tan, it's always night! How's a girl supposed to enjoy a trip to the beach when there's no sun?_

Her blue hair bobbed silently, as she gently hopped from rocky outcropping to rocky outcropping. The light of the…something…off in the distance shone upon her, but did little for her mood.

Her name was Aqua, and she'd been here for the past eleven years, not that she knew that. Time was meaningless in this place, the Realm of Darkness, the home of the Heartless, and the doorway to the heart of all worlds, Kingdom Hearts. She didn't know how long it had been since she last saw the man with the blonde beard. She had cried herself to sleep after he told her of the boy, Sora, and his journey. She remembered him, that little boy whom she declined passing the power of the Keyblade to.

But he obtained it anyway. From what she was told, the very thing she intended to prevent, happened, regardless of her intentions. _Ugh…I was stupid…and selfish. I should have just given him the power myself, and explained to the two of them that they needed to train it together, as friends. Terra, Ven and I all got along fine. It was all because of Xehanort that things went south._

She sighed. Once again falling into depression. The world around her caused it to occur more often than not, though she held onto hope.

_I should have trusted Terra more. I should have questioned Master more. I should have let Ven come with me. Terra was always the introspective one, pondering away silently, only letting us know when he was certain, or when he felt comfortable. I knew that…and yet I still blindly listened to Master. Ugh…we were both fools, Master. Terra loved Ven like a little brother…we both knew this…and yet neither of us trusted him the way we should have. Why? Because he held a greater than normal, Darkness?_

"_What is darkness…but hatred and rage?"_

_Ugh…I was such a __**fool**__! There's more to darkness than that! I know that now…after…who knows how long wandering this place. Yes, darkness is hatred and rage, but it's also calm, stability, rest. It ebbs and it flows, it spikes and it smoothes, just like all emotion. Every emotion has ties to darkness, all it is, is the opposite. The echo, the shadow. It's corruptive…it's oppressive…but it can also drive someone to do amazingly good things. Terra used his darkness to protect Ven, even if it meant striking down our Master to do it. He wasn't driven to insanity, or meaningless hatred by it, he used it to protect…_

She sighed again. _If I had just __**trusted **__him…maybe he would have been able to fight off Xehanort better…_

Movement from up ahead caught her eye. She cut her musing and hid behind a larger than normal rock. On the shoreline, where she met with the bearded man, she saw a teenage boy with black hair and light brown skin. More importantly, he was holding-

_A Keyblade?! Xehanort?! _She crept closer, ready to attack, but then realized his Keyblade was different. It looked like a straight edge blade with a jagged hooked tip pointed backwards. It was primarily black, looked _wicked_ sharp on both edges and was patterned with what looked like jagged red lines, as if someone had shattered a shadow and put it together with sticky blood. Dangling from the end of the Keyblade, she could just barely make out a keychain in the form of what looked like a hazard symbol made of red bordered black triangles.

_Ok…no…calm down Aqua. It's not Xehanort. _Suddenly she scrunched her face up in distaste. _Wow. Way to be racist, girl. Just cause they have a similar skin tone and a Keyblade doesn't mean they're the same person. Eesh, I feel really, really nasty for that now._ From her earlier musing, her loneliness, and the World's natural negative pressure, she felt extremely guilty for judging the young man up ahead without even greeting him first. To the point she almost stood up and walked over to him, just to apologize.

But something stopped her. And that something was watching him gesture to a nearby rock. She ducked behind her cover, thinking he saw her, when to her shock, the massive stone a little ways away from her side wobbled, and then began to rise, coated in a barely discernible distortion of air. It hovered in place for a moment, before gently coasting towards him, where it slammed down in a specific spot, with great purpose.

…_ok…that's…new. He's powerful…whoever he is._ She watched as he dragged his Keyblade along the sand, tracing an unseen pattern, for she couldn't get a better view of it without risking being seen. For a moment, she puzzled to herself why she was wary, but then understood.

_He's an unknown, a powerful unknown. And he's got a Keyblade. Worse, I've got __**no**__ idea how or why he got here, or what he's doing. If I go out there now, and he's not friendly, or at least neutral…_

Her thoughts were cut off, as the boy rose his Keyblade to the sky with both hands. Slowly, the tip of the blade began to glow, before it fired a narrow beam of silver-white light into the air.

…_that's just gonna draw out the Heartless!_

She made to get up, but stopped and stared as above the sky, a large glowing rectangular outline appeared. The ground beneath his feet glowed a fierce black, as the sky shimmered a brilliant white. She watched him lower his Keyblade, flip it around and stab it into the ground beneath him. The black glow around him flared violently, as the rectangle in the sky seemed to grow a center line, which then spread out until a glowing rectangle shaped hole was literally in the air. The black light flared once again, encasing him in a sphere of darkest shadow, before it was engulfed in a pillar of white light, descending from the hole above. She watched as he faded away, sucked into the sky from the light.

A minute passed. The pillar was still there. But it looked like it was shrinking.

…_Aqua…now would be a good time to __**MOVE IT GIRL!**_

She clambered to her feet and raced for the shore, jumping over stones and leaping over now rising Heartless, attracted by the sudden pulse of light energy. Her Keyblade flashed into existence as she cut through a cloud of Darkballs and a cadre of Neo Shadows breaking through the wall of black surrounding the white pillar, and leaping into the light. At her side, her Wayfinder charm flared a brilliant blue, casting a shell of protective energy around her as her body was pulled upwards into the now closing gateway.

It was her only chance to escape.

And even as the energies wrapped around her body, the pure magical pressure dragging her to unconsciousness, she resonated a single thought.

_WORTH IT!_

* * *

"Wow Kai you look horrible. You sure you don't need more sleep?" Sora piped up.

The straggly haired redhead just stared at him.

After the strange event that plagued Tidus occurred for the three girls he was with, and an older Wakka, the Keybearers had re-introduced themselves to everyone. The issue was that Wakka and Tidus had memories of the group, but also memories of their youth and lives on Besaid and Zanarkand. The last thing either male remembered was the second destruction of the Islands…and that's it. After that, it all was covered by their second lives.

But the problem was that since then, Kairi was plagued by a continuous headache. One that even Naminé felt. So it was decided that they would do a bit of catching up, but ultimately let Kairi rest.

Unfortunately, the girl didn't get much of it. Her dreams were plagued by nightmares of people with Keyblades fighting one another all over a world. Children crying for their parents who were struck down by the magical weapon, teenagers lashing out in rage with fire and stone, whirlwinds of dark and light energy all over. It was horrifying, and it made her feel sick to have one of them.

Worse, the headache persisted, even when she woke.

"guh…" she mumbled.

"It's not…uhh…" Sora hesitated. Kairi looked at him through bleary eyes, noticing his face was beginning to flush. _What would be- oh._

"No. It's not _that_. You'll _know_ when it's that." She responded.

"Ahh…right…uhh…well…"

"Look…let's just…let's just go ok? If I need to I'll catch a nap at Twilight Town."

Naminé, deciding that it would be a good idea to get some answers, suggested to Kairi that she open a Dark Corridor to Twilight Town, one of two locations she consciously knew how to access; the other being the Castle that Never Was. She explained through Kairi, that they could find Yen Sid, and have him at least send a message to the King for a pickup or _something_. Noting the logic behind it, the guys agreed, but only after they spent the night to catch up with Tidus and the others, as well as let Kairi get some rest.

"Man I still can't believe you guys went to different Worlds. And that those giant keys are your weapons." Tidus mused.

"Crazy isn't it?" Sora quipped. "But it's all true. Shoot I've got the scars to prove it."

Tidus shook his head. "Nah man I believe you. It's still crazy. But I believe you. Oh man, just wait. You guys better come back, we need to tell you about Sin's bullshit."

As Kairi allowed Naminé to channel some of her power through the redhead's body, Sora nodded to Tidus. "We didn't even get to the _really_ crazy parts of our story either!"

"I don't think you can out-crazy the fact that Kairi's got another person living in her head. Hey, you think that would explain why she was always so damn nuts?"

His answer, was the redhead reaching back and sticking up her middle finger, the irritation caused by his joke spawning enough ire to boost Naminé's efforts and tear open the shadowy gateway.

"Whoa! Now _that's_ crazy bruddah. Eey you three be careful now, ya? We better see you again." Wakka spoke.

"We'll be fine. Sora's dense enough that the trip shouldn't do much to him, I've got protection, and Kairi's immune." Riku said.

Riku was referring to the corruptive essence of the Dark Corridor. Being the shadowed link between worlds, it traveled dangerously close to the Realm of Darkness, where the Heartless reside. Because it's such an oppressive force, the unprotected risk being imbued with the dark powers, and having their hearts absorbed by it. Kairi, being a Princess of Heart, one of Seven beings with hearts of pure light, was immune to the effects of the Dark Corridor, for false Darkness could not penetrate. This was the reason why, during Sora's first journey through various worlds, her heart was housed within his existence, and her body remained, if looking like a sleeping doll.

Because her conceptual status is "Princess of Heart" both her heart and body were protected against the effects of dark energy. If her heart was ever 'lost', it wouldn't spawn a heartless, and her body would not descend into the conceptual embrace of the Realm of Darkness, to either fade away, or become a Nobody. This is why Naminé's existence was so strange, because she was formed from Sora's body and soul, but Kairi's heart. Not even Naminé herself knew how that worked, and it was something that continued to bother her, even now.

* * *

Pain.

…again.

His body felt like it was tingling, covered in that irritating sensation when an appendage falls asleep.

He groaned, turning over.

Everything was blurry. Everything was _white_. Whatever he was laying on, felt hard and uncomfortable. But he was just so _tired…_

Someone approached him. He saw the hem of a black longcoat. He looked up.

A blurry, feminine face, short straight black hair just past her ears. Bright blue eyes.

"…ou…ay…?"

His vision faded, the voice definitely belonging to a girl.

Everything went black.

* * *

She blinked as the strange young man faded out of existence.

_That's…new. How did someone get here…wherever 'here' is. I thought nobody remembered me…and I definitely don't remember him…_

The girl puzzled the strange situation, shrugging.

_Maybe he'll come back. He came once before. Hopefully I'll find out who he is._

_It…is…kinda lonely here…_

She left the white room, stepping outside to an orange sky. Her eyes watered. _It's hard…but I'm hanging in there._

_I told you I wouldn't forget._

_Roxas…_

* * *

A soft sigh.

_This is much better…_

A blue haired woman walked down a long curved brick road. She nodded to some of the people milling around, some offering her a small smile in greeting, others giving a wave. She gazed at the orange coated sky in wonder, a gentle grin forming on her face. _Yes…this is so much better than being stuck there. Then again, I'm stuck __**here**__ too, but at least this world has people in it._

A few days ago, Aqua found herself waking on the ground in a dense forest. Not recognizing her surroundings, she began walking, after checking to make sure nothing was broken. She was covered in dirt when she woke, and confused. She noticed a slight disruption to the ground, and rationalized that perhaps after losing consciousness, she was ejected from the light-stream, and rolled on the ground before she came to a stop, prior to her awakening. Wandering through a big hole in a large brick wall, she found herself on the streets of a lively town. Seeing _people_, she smiled to herself.

There were no moogles, but instead, everyday shopkeepers, and even a small inn for her to rest at. Even better, the strange golden-white crystal fragments, munny, was _good_ here! And she had _plenty_ built up from her travels. A perfect opportunity to rest, and get herself washed up, as well as taking a much needed bath.

_Maaaan that felt good after so long. I can't believe how __**dirty **__I was…then again, when was the last time I took even a shower since this all started?_ She continued her treck, mind wandering, simply _enjoying_ being in a place that wasn't the Realm of Darkness, when she overheard a voice.

"Alright, take care Sora, you guys!"

Her head snapped to the direction of the voice. _Did that girl just say 'Sora'?_ She looked to see a group of teenagers beginning to walk up the hill. A boy with silver-grey hair, a girl with red hair that looked strangely familiar, and a boy, with spiky brown hair. _Is that…?_

She couldn't resist. She set off at a brisk jog, calling out to the backs of the teens.

"Excuse me!"

The three turned. Her heart began to beat wildly. He _looked_ like the little boy she met…but…

"Can we help you miss?" The silver haired boy asked. _Could that be…Riku?_

"I…umm…maybe…?" she was hesitating. _No! Hesitation is what caused this mess!_

"Ok…this is gonna sound…and look, really strange, but…" She fidgeted a little. "You wouldn't…happen to have one of _these_…"

She held out her hand, and in a streak of light, formed the Keyblade she held, the Master Keeper.

"Would you?"

The trio stared at the Keyblade in shock. Then they looked at the woman. Unknown to her, they were trying to figure out who she was, and why _she_ had a Keyblade.

_Oh…great. I got the wrong person. Ugh, it's a huge galaxy, there's probably plenty of brunettes named Sora._

"Ahh…no…sorry I as-

A small streak of light, and the brunette held out a Keyblade. Aqua was stunned.

"You mean, something like _this_, right?" Sora joked.

His grin faded as the woman just stared. Kairi was about to bop him upside the head when suddenly tears welled up in the woman's eyes and she lunged forward, grasping Sora in a hug.

"It's you!"

Completely taken aback, Sora could do nothing but stand there, as some random woman who had a Keyblade, (though he had to admit to himself she was really good looking) nearly squeezed the life out of him, while practically crying on his shoulder. After a few seconds, he gently reached up and awkwardly pat her on the back.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I screwed everything up!"

People stopped and stared for a bit, but Riku shot them a look and they all seemed to get the hint. The once onlookers respected their space and continued.

"I…I'm sure it's not that bad…" Sora responded, still not knowing what was going on.

"No…" The woman pulled back, sniffling and wiping her tears on her strange detached sleeve. "It's _worse._ I messed up. We _all_ got lucky. If it weren't for such random luck everything would be…"

She realized the odd looks she was getting from the three. "Ah!" She flushed. "Oh I'm sorry! I just…got a little emotional. My name is Aqua. We me-

She was cut off by Sora's hand racing up and slamming into his forehead with a cry.

"Sora!"

* * *

Bright day. A tall, blue haired woman.

"_If Riku ever loses his way, be his guiding light, ok?"_

A key shaped sword.

A name.

**Aqua.**

* * *

His eyes snapped open. "Aqua!"

Kairi's head turned to Sora, from where it was glaring at the woman.

"I remember you now! You came to the Islands when we were kids!"

The woman gave a soft grin. "Yes. And there I made a mistake. I asked you to keep Riku on track, and never gave you the power to do it."

Headache gone, Sora tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"I should have passed on my power to you, the way Terra did for Riku. But…I got selfish. I put my emotions ahead of logic. I didn't want you two to have to deal with the problems We did…and yet…if I'd really thought about it better, I could have prevented some of them by giving you the power too. We _all_ got so lucky that you somehow gained the power as well."

"Oh hey yeah…now I remember! That big guy, with the really _long_ Keyblade." Riku spoke, his own memories of the event trickling back slowly.

Aqua nodded. "Yes. Terra. My…_Our_ friend."

"Sora, are you feeling ok?" Kairi pressed, not really caring about the conversation, though inside, Naminé was making note of everything.

"I'm fine Kairi, it just hurt when all the memories came rushing back."

"Kairi?" the woman asked. "_Princess_ Kairi?!"

"I…guess, yeah."

"From Radiant Garden?"

"Why are yo-

Then it all started coming back. But instead of continuing to speak, Kairi just held out her hand.

And seconds later, her _own_ Keyblade flashed into existence.

"Whoops…" Aqua spoke, sheepish.

"You gave me this…didn't you?" Kairi asked, softly. Aqua nodded.

"Accidentally, when you grabbed my hand. You had a strong enough heart to wield one, so the power passed on to you."

Sora and Riku were confused. "Wait, when was this?"

"Just before I met you two. The Unversed had invaded Radiant Garden and-

"Unversed?" Sora spoke, confused. "You mean Heartless, right?"

Aqua shook her head. "No no, Unversed. They're…different. Fledgling monsters created from base emotion."

"Ok, wait. Hold on." Riku spoke up, before either side could continue on. "We've got a bit of a trip ahead of us, and Kairi, you can stop putting on a strong front, I can tell you're still not feeling completely better."

"Trip?"

"To Yen Sid's place."

"Wait, Master Yen Sid's place is near here?!" Aqua exclaimed. Well fuck. She could have gotten out of here already if she knew that!

"That's where we were heading. Considering you know his name, I'm sure he knows you too. So let's at least get on the train first, and _then_ once we're there, we can all trade stories."

* * *

"By the stars…It is good to see you again, Master Aqua."

The blue haired woman smiled. "Hearing that from you of all people, Master Yen Sid…it still will never feel normal."

"Yes, it was quite fortunate that you have returned to us. Sora, it is good to see you again. And I believe you two…would be Kairi and Riku, would you not?"

The two remaining teens nodded.

"Master Yen Sid, we were hoping you'd have some way of contacting King Mickey for us?" Sora asked, hopefully.

"Actually my boy, I can do something better. You see, not long ago the King had come by, seeking advice from me as he normally does. He convinced me to hold on to one of his Gummy Ships, in case something like this occurred. There are times when his foresight astounds even me."

Sora's eyes lit up. That was even better!

"Ahh, but while I simply have to press this button, here." He did so. "It will take a little while before it arrives. Please, all of you, sit. Aqua, can you inform us as to how you managed to return?"

"Well…"

She told them her tale. How after sealing Ven in a hidden part of the Land of Departure, how she turned it into the labrynth that two of them remembered.

**"**_**SHE **_**made Castle Oblivion?!"** Kairi winced at the pitch of Naminé's exclamation. That jerk didn't go unnoticed.

"My dear is something wrong?" Yen Sid inquired.

"Ahh…no…just…Naminé was…a little loud, is all."

"Naminé…?"

"Her nobody." Sora put in. "After we beat Xemnas, Roxas and Naminé merged back with us. But…a few months ago, we were able to hear them again, like second sets of thoughts running through our minds. After a little while into Riku and I starting to train Kairi to suck less (here he winced as the girl punched his arm), which as you can see is working, (she crossed her arms and glared at him) they started being able to hold entire conversations with us, like they were next to us."

"Indeed? You both had Nobodies…and yet neither of you were Heartless."

"Actually…" Sora hesitated, so Riku finished.

"Sora became a heartless for about an hour, a few years ago."

Yen Sid was surprised. And yet here Sora was, looking none the worse for wear. _It would seem even I still have much to learn_. Riku went on to explain how he acted like an idiot and ended up leading into Sora stabbing himself with a constructed Keyblade, releasing Kairi's heart from his, as well as causing himself to become a heartless, which is what spawned Naminé, and Roxas. Riku admit even Ansem the Wise had no idea how the hell Naminé came into existence, considering Kairi was a Princess of Heart, and that Roxas and Naminé both formed at the same time. Roxas at least made sense, but Naminé didn't.

"**Score one for being a freak of nature I guess…" **the blonde muttered deep within Kairi's mind. _You're not a freak of nature. _Naminé snorted. **"yeah, cause naturally I'm not supposed to exist."** Kairi frowned, sensing that there was no way she'd be able to convince Naminé otherwise at the moment.

Riku hit the part about Castle Oblivion, and Aqua stared in shock about what she heard. She was too overwhelmed that Sora had become such a strong young man to realize the connection back when the bearded man told her about it.

"Geez…I just keep making mistake after mistake…" Aqua despaired.

Sora shrugged. "Nah. I'd say it was their fault. The castle did exactly what it was supposed to. Not your fault they decided to move in." Aqua gave a small smile at that.

"Right…well…anyway I was stuck in the Realm of Darkness when suddenly I saw a random teenager there."

Eyebrows rose at that, from all around. "I thought it was Xehanort for a bit…but while the skin color seemed the same, the hair was pitch black. I felt like a total racist for a second, and then a big rock near me started lifting on its own accord."

"The boy was telekinetic?"

Aqua shrugged sheepishly. "I couldn't tell you. All I know is he had a Keyblade as well, and he did something I never thought to try."

"And that was?"

She sighed. "Use the Keyblade and the area itself to make a glyph, and resonate Light with Dark to open a gateway back to the realm of Light."

Yen Sid leaned back, eyes widening. "Such a thing…should be impossible."

"I know, but he did it. He must have been arranging the stones for a while, because I caught the tail end of whatever he did. A big wall of darkness was where he stood, but the Keyblade called a literal door of light in the sky. And then the big rectangle of glowing light spat a pillar at him, which sucked him in. Well…I knew that it was either sit there and wait, or take a chance. I took a chance and ran to the pillar after him. I must have passed out from the magical pressure or something, because I woke up at the edge of town, and spent a few nights before running into these three."

"Yes…but you see, the reason it should be impossible is because _no one _has that type of balance in their heart. And even if someone did, it would require impossible concentration against the forces of both darkness and light. I must ponder this later…Now…you three. How is it you found your way to Twilight Town?"

Sora explained about Xemnas coming back, to which Yen Sid's eyes shot wide open. He continued on about how the Nobody claimed to run into someone in the depths of a Dark Corridor, and planted his spirit into the person's body, using it to find his way to Destiny Islands, and the battle at the core.

"And then…something weird happened." Sora looked to Kairi.

"The spirit that owned the body originally…possessed me." Kairi admit.

"Felt her up too..." Riku grumbled. Kairi sighed.

"I _told_ you why he did it."

"You told us what he told you. Doesn't mean it's true."

"Dammit Riku I already explained it to you! He wasn't lying, I'd have known!"

"Uhh…how?" Aqua piped up.

"We were in similar spatial coordinates. We shared a conceptual space. Literally our hearts were temporarily combined inside my body, his will was just understandably stronger."

"Uhh…conceptual space?" Aqua was confused.

"She means the imaginary location in which all things rest. Imagine, if you will, this very room. Now, Aqua, imagine that Sora is sitting right where you are, yet you are still sitting there. He isn't sitting on your lap, nor you on his. You are both occupying the same chair, in the same position, at the same time. This is usually an impossibility, unless you were to place Sora in a different plane of existence, like if he were a ghost, or astral projection. Were he to sit in that exact location, in that state, he would then be inhabiting a similar conceptual space as your body." Yen Sid explained.

Aqua was still a little confused. "So…it's like parallel dimensions?"

"That would be accurate enough. Perhaps a better comparison would be a door. For us, a door is more often than not, a physical object, made of some material, and some method of opening it. However, the 'concept' of a door is much vaster. For a door is merely a portal from one location to another. For example, that rectangle of light the boy you saw had created. That, would be considered a door of sorts, to the Realm of Light. While it didn't look exactly like one would imagine a door to appear, its function was the same, thus, it held the same conceptual meaning as a door. If you will recall, Kairi's heart did something similar to what she is claiming this other being did, when the Heartless first attacked their island. Her heart met with Sora's, and he held her heart in his conceptual existence, until a time that the outside source, being that particular Keyblade, released it."

Kairi nodded. "Yes."

"Ok…now what did Riku mean by this person felt you up?" Aqua knew the _meaning_ but not _why_.

Kairi sighed. "The first thing he did, after complaining that he 'missed' was use my hands, to touch me. Everywhere." Aqua's eyes widened.

"He moles-

"Yes and no." Kairi cut her off. "Yes, because it was him making the motions, but at the same time, no, because it was still my hands, still my body. He just had control, like a puppet-master pulling my strings. While he fought Xemnas off, he admit to me that yes, there was a little bit of perverted intent in it, but primarily he _needed_ to know my body, inside and out, so he knew just what he was capable of doing while in control of me. He wanted to make sure that _both _of us got out of that situation alive, and as intact as possible."

"He had her doing some _crazy_ martial arts stuff. If Riku and I didn't already suspect that something had happened to her, we'd have been completely shocked that Kairi was suddenly kicking Xemnas' butt with just her hands and feet." Sora piped up. "It was _awesome_."

Kairi actually giggled. "I have to say, I wasn't happy at all at the time, but now, remembering what he had me doing…it was kinda cool knowing that I could do all that."

"And…you believe him about it?"

Kairi's cheer faded, and she sighed. "We shared a conceptual space. What he felt, I felt. What I felt, he felt. He wasn't lying. As powerful as his will was, we were linked directly to one another. Our hearts were literally _touching_. That level of connection doesn't allow for secret feelings, unless they're secret even to the one feeling them. And considering how handily he whupped Xemnas' butt, I'm very inclined to believe him."

Aqua still wasn't sure, but she nodded anyway.

"After that, he did something, and then there was a really big flash of light. When we all woke up, we were on a world called Spira, where we met one of our friends from the Islands…only he was older." Riku continued.

"Yeah we still can't figure that one out." Sora chimed in.

"about a day after we woke up there, Naminé made us a Dark Corridor, the only way we could get off that world, to Twilight Town, where we ran into Aqua." Kairi concluded.

"I see…" Yen Sid leaned back. "It is unusual to even enter the Heart of a World…let alone _battle_ in front of one. I have my suspicions as to what that light could have been…but…I cannot say for certain. Not without research. Ahh but that will have to wait. I believe you have somewhere to go."

He stood and stepped to the side, and the quartet saw the simple gummy ship that hovered near the tower.

"I shall bid you a safe journey. I will let the King know to expect you."

* * *

"We're about half-way there now…" Sora told the others. The conceptual distance between Twilight Town and Disney Castle was 'small'. Still a few hours travel. Especially since it wasn't one of Sora's personal makes of gummy ship.

"Uhh…Sora…I'm picking something up on radar." Riku said.

"What is it?"

"I don't know, but it's a faint signature growing stronger."

"Direction?"

"In front of us. Like, almost _directly_ in front of us."

A soft warning beep began to echo.

"Yeah now it's on scanners."

"What's it look like?"

"Uhh…small. Almost like a heartless ship…but…no…that can't be right…" Riku sounded confused.

"What's wrong?" Aqua asked.

"It's…it's emitting a weird mix of dark and light energy. But whatever it is it's coming up _fast_."

"How fast?" Kairi pushed, a little scared. Suddenly she winced as a painful pulse ripped through her head.

"_That_ fast!" Riku yelled just as the gummy ship began to rock from a wave of force. The sudden disturbance was caused by a literal hole tearing itself open in front of them.

"Sora! Evasive maneuvers!" Riku yelled.

"I'm _trying_! That hole must be putting out its own gravitational field or something cause nothing is working! The controls are really sluggish!"

Kairi whimpered, the pain becoming intense.

"Guys! Something's wrong with Kairi!" Aqua yelled over the sound of loud noises coming from every possible console.

"What?!" That single moment's distraction was enough for Sora to weaken his grip on the control sticks that kept the ship on course. The strange cosmic hole in space pulled at the ship, sucking them into its dark grasp.

"Oh crap."

Was the last thing any of them heard, before an intense wave of pressure ripped through their bodies, choking air from them, causing them all to slowly fade away…

* * *

**A/N: ** And here is the second chapter. as one can see, i'm combining events from various chapters into one larger one. this will keep me capable of writing it all through nearly one single strand of consciousness, as well as keep my motivation up. the worst thing that kills my drive is to see a blank document. it's so much easier to work off of something already written. The next chapter is already written, for i'm trying to stay at least one chapter ahead of posting, and it is a long one. many things happen, including something fun.

As you can tell, i've done away with the MEoDP plotline, and replaced it with something both similar to canon and not. Yes, that is a Kamen Rider insert, and yes, there will be more of them. for your information the "haunting tune" is the Gao Form standby theme from Kamen Rider Den-O. Seth's "Crow Form" resembles that of Jehuty from Zone of the Enders, since that was the primary thought in his head upon its creation. The Crow Form armor is based upon both Kamen Rider, as well as the concept of Keyblade Armor which was introduced slightly in KH2, and used as a plot element in BBS. However, since Aqua currently doesnt have her heart's keyblade, i am making her unable to show the others how to create a Keyblade Glider, nor will she be able to show the others how to form their Armor, since hers is currently in Radiant Garden.

And yes, i have put Seth through an Awakening. There will be more about Seth in coming chapters. Specifically about how he never had a keyblade prior to this, but others he knew, did.

And yes, that girl _was_ Xion. she too will become important. Aqua has been freed through Seth, though he had no idea she was there, and she will now be traveling with the core group, acting as mentor and trainer, though much of their training will be done offscreen. I am uncertain if i will free Terra and or Ven the same way, or if i'll simply let them appear after the end, since ultimately she is the only _real_ survivor of the Birth By Sleep events; she was merely displaced.

The next few chapters will further explore the side effects of the bond between Kairi and Seth, and how they deal with it. You will also see a little more about heart bonds in general, as well as get to see a bit of how Seth prefers to fight.

I can say this, Kairi will **NOT** be getting an Armored Form. She _will_ however, be getting something similar. you will see what that is next chapter.


	4. Warrior Princess

She awoke, groggy, confused, disoriented.

And for some reason her arms were sore.

_Oh…that's why…they're tied above my head._ She thought without preamble.

And then she realized what she just said to herself.

_Wait, WHAT?!_

Her eyes snapped open, vision forcibly clearing. She was in a strange void, endless black seemed to stretch on forever, save for the small grey ring of light surrounding a strange symbol made from a cross with a ring in between the horizontal and vertical lines, stabbed into an infinity symbol, backed by six sword shapes fanned out like wings.

Oh, and the glowing silver chains that were holding her arms above her head. Can't forget those.

"Ahh, you're starting to wake up." An unknown male voice spoke.

She squirmed a bit, trying to find the speaker, and he appeared from behind her. Black hair framing a face of light brown, chocolate eyes, a torn black jacket, a red shirt with a different symbol on it, dark blue pants, black shoes...

And the weirdest thing…it looked like a faded image of a belt with a strange clawed buckle was around his waist.

"Wh-who are you?!" The girl asked, fearfully. How did this person get her here…wherever that was. Let alone away from Sora and the others.

"I'm hurt Red. You don't remember me?" The young man said with a sarcastic grin on his face.

"You…you're the guy that took over my body!"

"Right in one. Yeah see I'd have brought you to better accommodations but…I don't really know where we are myself. But this works. Sorry about you being tied up though, but I couldn't have you fighting me off. I'm kinda on a time limit here…I think."

"What are you talking about?! Why would I fight you off? Didn't you say you were going to train me? We had a _deal_ didn't we?" Kairi countered.

"Aye, that we did. And I plan to uphold it…eventually. It's just right now I'm so mind-fucked that I need to get some stuff together before I'll be any _real_ use to you. I ran into someone…and then some things…and then I ended up here, and you were kinda…well as you are. So yeah. That's the vaguest bit of it. When I'm sure what the hell's going on…and I see you properly, I'll let you know more."

She wasn't satisfied. But before she could express her displeasure, he grabbed the hem of her dress and started lifting it.

"Wh-what the hell are-

"I need to know what you know." He cut her off, yanking her entire top to her neck. She was mortified, embarrassed…afraid. Were they all right about him? Was he nothing more than some messed up pervert? She flinched, and tried to pull away as he placed his hand on her chest, right between her breasts. She only wanted _one _person to touch her anywhere _near_ there and **he** wasn't it!

"Sorry, really, I am. I don't know any less…personal, way get what I need from you. I really really don't." He _looked _repentant…

And as a strange _pulling_ sensation filled her heart, she felt like she could feel _another_.

…she _did_! She could feel a second heartbeat, beating out of tune with hers, but slowly matching her own. What was going on? And why did she now _believe _him when he said he was sorry about this?!

"If I'm right, you believe me now. It's because right now, at this very moment, our hearts are connected. Again."

…yes…yes they were. She understood that now. They were completely unified. She could…understand him. Without saying it, she knew what he was doing. He needed knowledge, knowledge of the Keyblade, of Heartless, of People, of Worlds. Things that she and her friends knew. Things he _didn't_ know. Because the last thing _he_ remembered, was his world was destroyed, and he woke up in a Dark Corridor with Xemnas stealing his body.

And he _was_ the person Aqua saw. He had a Keyblade…but didn't know enough about it, only what he barely remembered. So he was mining for information, heart to heart, memories to memories. Which meant that this place was some sort of mental meeting ground for them. One that was shaped by his will. Which was why the chains were uncomfortable, but not painfully so. Just enough to keep her bound, so she couldn't struggle and possibly break _both_ their minds open.

And he truly believed this was the fastest way, especially now that he had his own body back.

But…what was that…inkling?

His hand began to glow.

"Right. Done. Thanks Red. Welp, since this is twice now that I've basically had to grope you without your permission, I figure I'll make it up to you a bit now. You're probably wondering what this glow is all about. Well, I found something that came along with my Keyblade. Something that drew from my heart and imagination. And, now, I'm going to see about giving a form of that something, to you. I don't know how it'll come about, or when, cause I'm basically rewriting your inner magical pathways - don't ask, I don't know how I'm doing it either - but once it all settles, you should have a nifty new ability. I'll leave in how to activate it, but the _true_ depths of it will only be known to you. Cause it's formed from _your_ heart, see?"

The glow became blinding.

"So you might feel a little weird for a bit. I think that's normal. Maybe some mild discomfort. Side effects include possible nausea for a little while, loss of depth perception, headache, mild stomach pains and the urge to get laid. That last one would be my fault, sorry about that, it's been Tia knows how long since I got any action. First-time activation will probably leave you feeling elated, hysterical –but in a good way- _extremely useful_ and definitely tired. If there's any sudden bleeding that has nothing to do with your period, see a doctor cause I don't know _what_ the fuck could have caused it. If the symptoms persist for more than three to five days, stop fucking fighting it you stupid cunt."

She just stared. A part of her surprised her by wanting to laugh. Hard. Despite the fact that this was the _second_ time he was touching her body without permission, the knowledge she gained from, and about him, put her a little at ease. From what he knew, 'physical' contact in this strange world, his hand to her heart, would put him in control over the information exchange, and allow him to transfer energy from him to her. The reverse, her hand to _his_ heart, would put _her_ in control. They were equals. The only thing giving him superiority over her, is the fact that he's well versed in unusual rituals and magics, so he knows the general rules (but he's still making a lot of it up as he goes along) and that she's tied up.

The glow became a fierce shining flare.

"I'll see you soon Red. Don't die on me, ok? You've been pretty chill about this so far, even if some of that _might_ be my fault, and you seem like you'd be a fun person to hang around with."

A painful pressure on her chest, a pounding in her head, and the bright light beyond her eyelids turned to darkness, and her sense of self, faded away.

**Kingdom Hearts RE: Order**

**Chapter III: **_**Kairi, Warrior Princess**_

"…'s waking up."

"Kairi?"

The redhead groaned softly. The pounding headache had silenced to a dull throb…for now. "S-Sora…?" She mumbled weakly, body slowly starting back up.

"Yeah. We're all fine here." Was the reply.

"What…happened…?" she asked, tired. Slowly she pushed herself up onto the floor of the Gummy Ship, but leaned back against the side of the chair she fell out of.

"Some sort of wormhole, I think. I've run into a few of those warp gates before but never like that." The veteran flier spoke. "We woke up near this world none of us have ever seen before, and the ship is in auto-repair mode so we can't just turn around and try to find the gate again. We were waiting on you to get up before we went down and took a look around."

"**Are you alright Kairi? Whatever that was knocked me out too…I didn't even know that could happen!"** _I'm…fine._ Truth was, she wasn't. She remembered the odd dream she had…and the strange…_weight_ in her heart told her it wasn't just a dream.

"Give me a minute to re-focus…and then we can go."

* * *

"Where…are we…?"

It was paradise. As if they were on a city above the clouds, surrounded by a mountain range with peaks just barely visible through the puffs. Old looking cobblestone pathways, flowers of unknown make and origin, birds flying through the air, and a strange sense of _power_ around them. The group entered the largest and so far, only building. A massive cathedral-like structure.

A voice called to them.

"Hold!"

The group stopped, turning to see a dark purple, almost black-haired, fair skinned woman striding forward, a massive halberd attached to her back, sword at her waist, wearing dark violet armor decorated with black feather plumes, a long white skirt just to above her ankles, and armored boots. A clear warrior, she held herself with pride, and strength.

"What are Einherjar doing wandering around at this time? Battle training began ten minutes ago!"

"Einherjar?"

The woman's eyes narrowed at Sora's spoken confusion.

"No…I sense not the touch of death upon you. You are not Einherjar, yet you are not _undead_ either. Who are you? How is it you have come to Valhalla?"

"Valhalla…?" Kairi muttered to herself.

Aqua stood straighter, recognizing a leader when she saw one. She turned to the three behind her. "Let me take care of this, ok?" As she turned back, the woman held up a hand.

"Mind it not. Come. We shall let Lord Odin hear you."

The woman turned and began walking. The group looked to one another, and decided to follow.

* * *

A much larger, semi-lavishly decorated room, stone pillars lining a long crimson carpet, a Man with chiseled features wearing a dark grey loose fitting body-suit with small, nearly impossible to see vertical black stripes, a long golden trimmed crimson cloak, and holding a massive double-ended pole-arm that looked like someone took a gigantic slab of metal, carved it into the shape of two connected giant swords, and then slapped a small wooden hilt between the flat 'bottoms'.

The armored woman stopped and kneeled not too far from the man. "Lord Odin, I found these mortals wandering our halls. They have not the touch of Undead, however I decided it would be best you see them yourself."

"Rise Hrist, your choice was correct. Tell me, mortals. Where is it you hail from? And how is it you have reached the land of the Gods without any notice?" the man spoke.

The three teens looked at their elder, Aqua. She stepped forward.

"My name is Aqua. The three behind me are Sora, Kairi and Riku. We apologize for our intrusion, our vessel was damaged on our way to an allied Kingdom and we were waylaid off course while being knocked unconscious."

One of Odin's eyebrows rose. That…made little sense. Yet a nagging sensation he got in the back of his mind said that the woman, their apparent leader, was telling the truth.

"I know of no vessel on the mortal world that can cross into the realm of the Gods. What arcane powers have you foolish mortals tapped into?"

"It is no Arcane power. Our vessel is of a different make. We hail from a different world than this, or the world you refer to."

That…was apparently the wrong thing to say. Odin sat up straighter, Hrist drew her spear and many of the armored beings milling around drew their weapons. In a flash, Sora, Kairi and Riku all had their Keyblades out, and sensing it was too late to intervene, Aqua called the Master Keeper as well. To her mild amusement, Odin's eyes bugged out, and immediately he stood.

"Stay thy hand Hrist, Einherjar! These mortals are not to be harmed!"

Hrist looked at her Lord incredulously, before slowly replacing her weapon to her back. The other warriors too, lowered their weapons, but they did not replace them.

"I understand now. You four are bearers of the Keyblade, a weapon capable of bringing even this Godly plane to ruin."

Aqua made a soft motion with her free hand, before banishing the Keyblade. The other three however, didn't follow her lead.

"It isn't our intention for anything untoward to occur. Our ship is repairing itself and we only came down here from above to stretch our legs. I'm sure you understand how cramped it can get in a small space for hours on end." Aqua spoke, ever the diplomat.

Odin couldn't respond, for at that moment, Kairi gasped, her Keyblade vanished, and she clutched both hands to her chest as she fell to her knees.

"Kairi!" Sora exclaimed. "Kairi what's wrong?"

"M-My heart…something's…"

She was cut off, as one of the large stained-glass windows suddenly shattered violently, a shadowed figure flying through the hole and landing in a forward roll before springing to its feet. Everyone stared in surprise. And suddenly Kairi recognized him.

"…Seth…?"

The three other Keybearers turned to her in surprise, as the redhead just stared at the young man. He turned his head back slightly, shooting her a wry grin, lifting his hand and flicking it in some off kind of wave.

"Sup Red? Sorry, can't do it now. Later, I promise."

She absently nodded, the close proximity to him causing her heart to flutter, but not in any sort of romantic way. _Resonance Reaction._ Was what filled her mind. Her heart was reacting to his, considering they'd touched, twice. He turned to the purple clad woman.

"…Purple…you're Hrist…aren't you?"

The woman's eyes narrowed.

"The other two are…yes…but…" His left hand reached up, just barely touching his forehead.

"I can hear…a third. She's still there…trapped by the binds."

Hrist blinked, and then took a step back in shock.

"You…how do you speak of things you should know nothing about?!" Hrist's reaction caused Odin to blink in surprise. _Is she talking about Alicia?_

Suddenly, an angry flare of light appeared in front of his waist, turning into a strange looking buckle. From the buckle emerged dark grey chains that wrapped around him before shattering into the form of a black belt.

"I hear her…the One, True, Valkyrie." He spoke, just before the hall was filled with an unusual, repeating, haunting organ tune.

He flicked out his left hand, a shard of what looked like grey glass appearing within. He then drew his arm diagonally across his chest, obscuring his lower face, before flicking his wrist, as if to show the shard off.

"Henshin!"

Arm pulled back, before he slammed the shard into the buckle, the almost skin-looking membrane spiraling open, revealing a glowing grey feral eye. A voice filed their ears.

_**Crow Form**_

The light coming from the buckle shattered into fragments that spiraled around his body before grafting to him, forming into grey armor, strange vent-like wings, and a visor/helm combination mask that looked like the head and face of some form of bird. Violet strands of light were pulsing along invisible pathways like veins containing blood flowing along with the beat of a heart.

He held out his right hand, and within a crackling black and red blaze of light, the reverse hooked Keyblade that Aqua saw appeared.

"Asobo…ka?" Though he wore a full-face helmet…mask…thing, his voice sounded clear as day. The vents opened up and he rocketed towards Hrist, who just barely rolled out of the way of his horizontal swing. A small part of her noticed, however, he wasn't aiming for her head, merely her chest. Faster than she thought possible, as she jumped back to gain distance for her weapon, he spun in mid-air and lashed out his left hand. There was a literal crushing feeling upon her whole body, before the small hop she did to create some distance became a large leap as she was thrown backwards by an invisible force.

She landed hard on her back, wind knocked out of her, but rolled out of the way as he rocketed towards her and aimed a heel drop at her chest. Pushing herself up, she swiped with her halberd to ward him off; a swing that he merely flipped over, assisted by both his manipulations over gravity, as well as the strange vents on his back and knees, before reaching his left leg out and landing a hit on her helmet, a blow that were she defenseless, would have knocked her out, but instead merely made her ears ring from the pressure.

Feeling his weight shift, she grasped the shaft of her weapon in both hands, spread them apart and rose it above her head, blocking the overhead chop he made with his Keyblade. She thought to use the small second granted due to the nature of momentum and force, to repel him, but was knocked away as once again the vents flared and suddenly both his feet were planted upon her chestplate, throwing her backwards, towards the group of Keybearers, who watched in shock.

A blonde woman in a skin-tight green leotard made to move, but Odin held out his hand to ward her. There was something _strange_ in this newcomer's movements. He wasn't aiming to kill, unlike most who would dare fight a _Valkyrie_. He also seemed to know of the three Valkyrie sisters, as well as their true, combined form. He watched, mildly impressed as he dominated the battle.

_I should be irritated at how sloppily Hrist is handling this, however he caught us all off-guard. His movements are almost random, and far too fast, even if Hrist has a definite range advantage in terms of weaponry. It is known to all warriors that one who controls the flow of battle can better dictate the terms of victory or defeat, and his unexpected shift into that strange armor, as well as his definitely unexpected speed and strange intangible-yet-tangible pulses of __**something**__ most definitely turn the tides in his favor. But what is it he seeks?_

There was one thing he didn't know, however. One thing that was most definitely helping Seth knock the Dark Valkyrie around like a ragdoll. It was that since he barely needed to use it for maneuverability (though a small pulse here and there helped keep his movements stabilized, and reduced the lag-time on defended or wiffed attacks), he could keep a general gravitational field up that made Hrist's entire being, heavier. It was short-range, extending only to about five feet in front of him, but it was slowing her down as suddenly she'd find herself, and her weapon, heavier, harder to move. Worse is because he was flittering in and out of its effect range, she was constantly varying between having to try harder to swing it, and being able to handle it normally, which further threw her off balance.

* * *

_Yeah…I'm __**really**__ glad I didn't fight him back in the Realm of Darkness. He would have wiped the floor with me._ Though she was not a warrior by nature, she was a well enough versed combatant to be able to get a feel for others. Hrist, had set off alarms in her mind, that this woman was seriously skilled at the art of battle.

And she was getting _manhandled_ by a teenager.

Granted, Hrist didn't know a thing about his abilities, and that armor of his seemed to give him an _insane_ mobility advantage, considering he could **fly**, but she could almost…sense…something else going on. Something more. A reason why Hrist could barely block, let alone counter him. Wincing as a particularly heavy **THUD** echoed through the hall as the young-man's boot slammed into the woman's chestplate, throwing her backward _again_, she wondered what allowed him to defeat such a powerful opponent so easily.

It wasn't just the mobility. Someone like Hrist would have fought against high-mobility targets before, no doubt. Even Aqua had; some of the Unversed taking irritatingly aerial forms, and many resistant if not outright immune to certain spells, keeping a magical barrage from being the easy answer. Hrist's movements seemed sluggish, as if she were straining to even _lift_ her weapon, which made no sense. Especially since other times, it looked like she was fine, if confused.

No, there was definitely something _he_ was doing.

* * *

**WHAM**

A field-enhanced punch landed right under Hrist's chin, knocking her into the air, where he shot up and kicked her back down. The woman righted herself just before she hit ground, landing on all fours instead of her back as she was intended to. But this was his chance. He'd weakened the light of her heart, her focus, her calm, enough. Now it was time to finish things.

He landed, before reaching for the buckle and pulling out the shard within. With his right thumb, he forced the buckle to tilt, the slot now facing upwards, before he slapped the shard back in. The four claws on the edge of the buckle glowed as violet energy crackling like lightning, raced towards the core where the Eye was, before it flared a similar violet, just before the same voice from before echoed.

_**Full Charge**_

"Rider Sting." Was the first thing he actually spoke, since his unintelligible statement prior to the fight.

"_**RIDER…STING."**_ A second voice spoke, sounding louder, more powerful, and as if spoken by a different person than the first.

The energy crackled along the entire belt, before rising up his chestplate and gathering to his right hand, which held his Keyblade. The vents flared open and he rocketed forward, where Hrist lunged a piercing strike towards him, only to stare in shock as his counter-thrust _shattered_ her Gods made halberd and his Keyblade went straight through her armor, sinking deep into her chest.

_Now_ Odin moved, but he was blown back as a wave of intangible force ripped from the woman's body, Hrist screaming in pure _agony_ as something invaded her very **being**. That something was the pervasive intent thrown into the attack, drawn through the Keyblade, telling her fused soul to _split_. There was a flare of light as she was thrown_ violently_ backwards, where she slammed into a pillar before _splitting into three women_. The two other women, one with silver hair that was almost pale blue, in sky-blue armor, and one with golden blonde hair in light purple, almost pale pink armor, rolled to the sides, also groaning. However, floating before the armored Seth, was a soft, silver light, a small pinkish crystal inside it.

_And here you are…_

"Well, that was a thing. Thanks for the souvenir Hristie!" The teen called cheerfully, before seeming to absorb the crystal into himself. Odin and Freya were the first to recover, Odin grasping Gungnir and Freya's hands crackling with energy, but they were both thrown backwards by a sudden crushing pressure as the teen thrust his right hand towards them, now devoid of Keyblade.

The teen did nothing but chuckle darkly, before the vents on his back flared open again, he pivoted on his foot sharply, bent forwards and then rocketed out of the very hole he came in from, leaving a faint trail of wispy grayish fading light behind him.

Not a single person understood what happened there…and now, the one Valkyrie were Three.

Kairi slowly got to her feet as the pounding in her chest faded, the Resonance Reaction dissipating as his heart's distance increased. Though she gained a lot of information from him during that strange mental meeting, she had _no _idea why he just did what he did. Let alone how Hrist wasn't turned into a Heartless from him stealing her heart.

She wouldn't find out until a little later…it wasn't _Hrist's _heart that he took…

* * *

"_Donna…toki demo…anata wa, hi~__**tori**__ ja naiiiii yo…"_

The black haired young man sung softly to himself, the opening words to a song he vaguely recalled. He stepped around the strange looking flowery pod once used to restore Sora back to existence, absently humming the rest of the song, punctured by the occasional yawn. It was hard work keeping up that field while fighting Hrist just enough to weaken the hold her heart had on this one.

_I am so damn lucky. It's only cause of my field that I stood a chance. I can fight pretty well but against a __**Valkyrie**__? And the most vicious one of all? Luck. Pure luck._

Tapping holographic keys on a small console at the far end of the room, away from the single doorway, Seth watched as the pod split open, like a blooming rose.

_Eesh…and he was asleep in one of these things for a year? If he doesn't man up and stick it in Red then something has definitely gone wrong with returning his memories. They made him gay._

Holding his hands before his chest, a soft glowing grey light appeared, before gathering around a small pink crystal. This was, a conceptual Heart. He placed it in the pod, with a small slightly rounded piece of glowing white crystal.

_Not that there's anything wrong with being gay. Shit once in a while I suspected it from ol' Revan, though she'd probably kick my ass for saying it. …unless it was true. Huh…pity I can't look into that. But no that'd just be a kick in the quad for Kairi, though she's a strong girl, she'd get over it. And I __**must**__ be serious about this cause I called her by name in my own head._

Going back to the console, and yawning again, he tapped a few more keys and watched as the petals all folded back up, concealing the light from both gems within. Another typed command, and a screen with a small bar and number next to a percent sign appeared, as a low hum echoed through the cavernous chamber. Realizing this was going to take a while, he slid down the wall behind him, leaning back while sitting on the floor, yawning, once again.

"Huuuuuuuuaaaahhh…might as well take a nap…"

* * *

"Well Guys, welcome to…oh crap."

Sora's intended display of grandeur was ruined by the landscape. While for the most part, the garden looked perfectly fine, it was the fact that there was a huge gaping hole where there were once doors, as well as scattered fragments of rubble and burnt…_something_ littering the ground, that made him pause in horror. Without a word to his friends and Aqua (whom considering he just re-met couldn't be classified as a 'friend' just yet. Give it a couple more days, the kid's got a big heart) he ran towards the hole, hell bent on finding out what happened.

Without needing words, the others followed, lagging behind because that sumbich was hauling _ass_ like they'd never seen before. They barely had a chance to marvel at broken pillars of once pristine white marble, scorch marks, cuts and indents in the walls and floor, let alone the strange scrape marks on the _ceiling_; as they ran to follow their strongest member (currently).

A massive, broken pair of double doors seemed to sway in an unfelt wind, the group racing through the gaping hole at the bottom, remnants of the smaller, person-sized door being unseen, for there were none. Traveling the length of the now torn red carpet, the group dashed for the two small specks next to a big hole in the floor.

"KING MICKEY!" They didn't see one of the small figures wince.

They came to a halt at Sora's side, the boy kneeling next to the battered monarch and his wife. The mouse man gave a soft, depressed chuckle.

"Well gosh Sora…didn't want you to see me all banged up like this." He said, grinning slightly, happier now that the Keyblade bearer was present.

"Your majesty…what happened to you?" Aqua asked before the others could. Mickey blinked before grinning even wider.

"Master Aqua?!" He then descended into a coughing fit, drawing worried glances from all around. He waved off their concern. "Don't worry about that…just a broken rib. That guy was something else…"

"Guy…?" Kairi asked, now _quite_ afraid.

"A man…well actually a young man, a lot like you Riku, showed up. He felt…off, to me. Y'see, I'd gotten word that something happened to Destiny Islands, and everyone here saw the unusual wave of _black_ that coated the sky for a few minutes, along with the aurora that followed for about half an hour. I was gonna go take a look and see if you all were ok, when he showed up at the front gate. I kinda jumped the gun a bit, cause he felt like…well…he felt like Darkness."

Riku's eyebrows shot up.

"Well…if it's the same guy we think it is…he _was_ in the Realm of Darkness…"

"Umm…your majesty could you describe him for us?" Kairi asked, _really_ not wanting to know.

"Oh yeah…well his skin was dark. Not _dark_ dark but, y'know, darker than tan. Black hair about the length of Riku's, a bla-

"It's him." _Dammit._ Kairi thought.

"You know him?" Mickey asked, a little apprehensive.

"We've…met…" was the vague reply.

"He jumped you and felt you up." Riku pointed out. Kairi glared at the pale haired teen.

"Wait what?"

She sighed heavily. "Might as well explain things…_again_."

* * *

After once again telling the tale of what happened on the Island, and once again Kairi sticking up for the errant Seth, she sighed.

"Now I get why he prefers direct transfers…_so _much faster…" she muttered.

"What are you talking about Kai?" Sora pushed. She flinched, before sighing again.

"Ugh I should have kept my mouth shut…dammit me…" She shook her head. "Ok it's like this. I woke up after the big flash of the wormhole in some dark void with a weird symbol beneath my feet and I was tied up in chains. Seth shows up, I realize who he is, and then he apologizes for me being in chains but said he didn't want me struggling. Not even taking me on a damn _date_ first, bastard lifts my shirt and puts his hand right between my boobs, says it's so he can get at my heart again cause he needs information, and ends up giving me some in return. And before you ask, _yes_ I believe him Riku because I could, once again, _feel_ him. And no, he didn't mess with my feelings at all because otherwise, with _that_ level of connection he could have made me his personal cheerleader. I _still_ want to kick his butt for it, which has to count for something."

Riku was indeed going to push, and he _still_ was going to, until Mickey spoke before he could.

"How is that possible though?"

Kairi sighed again. "The same way I jumped into Sora when the heartless first attacked the islands. When he was body-jacked, he found us, was trying to jump Xemnas but I kicked him out of the way unknowingly and got jumped instead. At that moment our hearts were _directly linked_, sharing the same conceptual space."

Mickey's eyes widened in recognition, nodding. "Ahh, I getcha. I'm guessing there's some sort of remnant link between you two?"

Kairi nodded slowly. "I think so. It might even be stronger since he linked hearts with me a second time. Before we came here, we were thrown off course by a sudden wormhole that showed up, and knocked us all out, where he met and linked with me again. After that, we ended up at this world called Valhalla, met with the ruler there, and then…well…"

"She bent over clutching her heart." Aqua finished, to which Kairi nodded.

"Yeah…it felt…it felt really weird. It didn't…_hurt_ so much as it was uncomfortable. It got worse and worse in a very short period of time, and then _he_ showed up."

"That second link explains why you suddenly knew his name." Riku grunted.

Kairi shook her head. "No he told me his name just before he left my body. I just forgot until then. Anyway, when he appeared, the pounding seemed to…lessen, but in a way get worse at the same time. It was a Resonance Reaction."

"A what?" Sora asked, confused. But Mickey's eyes just widened again. "Well I'll be…" he said absently.

"Your Majesty?" Sora pushed.

"A Resonance Reaction is when two real similar powers come into close proximity to one another. Uhh…lemme see how I can put it…"

"It's like twins, Sora." Minnie spoke, for the first time. "They say twins, or even triplets, have an odd sense of where their sibling is. It's nothing explainable, but they just _know_. The triplets, Huey, Dewey and Louie all share this ability. Any one of them can get a vague sense of where the other is, stronger if they're closer to one another."

"What she said." Mickey confirmed, grinning at his wife.

"So why did it hurt her?" Aqua asked.

"I told you it didn't hurt…it just wasn't comfortable."

"Same difference." Riku spoke.

Kairi just sighed again. "It's because his will is so much…_bigger_ than mine. Both times we were linked he took control. I couldn't fight him off even if I wanted to, and believe me I tried the first time. He's confused, lost, a little scared, and definitely angry about being body-jacked like that. But he's focused. He knows what he wants, and that focus gives him a stronger will than mine."

Minnie nodded. "A stronger will creates a stronger presence. Kairi wouldn't be used to feeling that sort of forceful mental presence in her own mind, let alone her heart. A reaction like what she had is normal. As she gets used to his concept of existence, she'll be able to resist the debilitating sensations, and should she and this…Seth, was it? Ever become equals, it will stop entirely."

"It felt like my heart was pounding in its chest, as if I was about to _get_ something I wanted really badly. An empty excitement, so to speak. I could feel my blood rushing through my veins…it was so…_strange_." Kairi confessed. Minnie just nodded again.

"That's been recorded to happen during a Resonance Reaction. Everything you just described has happened to others, so don't worry about it Kairi." Minnie offered with a comforting smile.

"Oh I wasn't too worried. When we linked hearts a second time I was able to glean a little more of _his_ knowledge as well. He knows about Resonance Reactions…and a lot of strange things that make no sense even to him. So when it started, and I understood it, it didn't feel as bad."

"We got off track a bit." Aqua pushed.

Sora nodded. "You were about to tell us what happened."

"Oh, that's right, I almost forgot. Well, he showed up, feeling heavily of Darkness. And he comes in, and asks for a Fragment of Light."

"What's that?"

"I dunno, honestly. But, well, with not knowing what happened to the Islands, and him being so shrouded in Darkness, I kinda jumped the gun and assumed he had something to do with it all. He looked kinda confused, but then…well…I let my mouth get the better of me. Kinda…called him a few names and stuff, trying to get him to confess. That just…well it was weird. It's like he seemed to shut off. And then he pulled a Keyblade, which really put me on edge."

"_I was going to be diplomatic about this. I wanted your cooperation, and then I'd leave you alone. But no. You light-lovers just __**have**__ to assume anything with darkness in it is going to be some world-ending dickbag. Fine. If that's how it's going to be, I'll give you what you want. You're going to see us as just wandering monsters waiting for the next heinous act to commit? Regardless of what we do? Fine. You ever hear of a fucking Self-Fulfilling prophecy you rat bastard? Ever thought of the concept of if you keep saying something to someone, keep telling them they're something they very well might not be, they just might decide 'fuck it' and become that thing you keep accusing them of being, just so they can at least get the damn perks of the title? No. you didn't. Just don't forget. You're the dumb bastard that started this. I'm just the sorry fuck who's going to __**end**__ it."_

Kairi nodded, sadly. "He kicked your ass didn't he?" The others looked at her, a little surprised at the choice of words she used.

Mickey just gave a sad chuckle. "That he did. I couldn't land a single hit on him. And he wasn't even lashing out in rage or anything. All of his moves were calculated. Every time I got close to him, I felt…heavier. Slower. Sora, you know how I fight. I'm small. I like to jump around a lot, use my smaller size and my speed to my advantage. He cut my speed down to almost nothing. The moment I'd get within a few feet of him, it felt like I was slogging through quicksand. Nothing I did worked."

He sighed softly. "The worst of it all was that he didn't say anything after that. Just acted. If I got too close to landing a hit, even slowed down as I was, he'd either blow me away, which felt like every bone in my body was being crushed at once, or he'd just jump back farther and faster than I could do anything about. Shoot he even jumped to the ceiling at a few points, standing there like a vampire or something. It's like gravity was his plaything."

At that, Kairi sat up a little straighter. Hearing the word "gravity" triggered something in her mind, causing a multitude of information to begin flowing.

"The thing that got me the most was just the…cold…dead…acceptance in his eyes. Like he'd judged me, and I came up wanting. Now that I think about it, I think that too helped make me a bit sloppy. It didn't feel good, to be looked at like that. Like I was just some worthless slab of meat not even worth interacting with. Like I'd just proven myself to be the worst kind of person."

"…because you did…" Kairi whispered, staring into space, a few tears running down her cheeks.

"Kairi…? Why are you-

"It's…it's not much…but…I remember. We linked hearts…I know a bit of what he knows…I know what he remembers. Even before his own world was destroyed, something he only recalls has to do with the Keyblade…people judged him like that. Judged him…judged the people he cared about…and he hated it. He hated _them_. I'm sorry your majesty…but you proved him right, when you acted just because he felt Dark."

Mickey nodded sadly. "I know Kairi. I messed up. It's like I said to Xemnas…the dark…it's a scary thing. And…well…" He looked a little sheepish.

"He took the Keyblade."

Kairi blinked away the tears caused by a phantom pain that wasn't hers. "What?" The others were shocked as well, even Minnie.

"I can still use one, but…the Keyblade I got from the Realm of Darkness…the one I closed the door with…it refused me as its bearer anymore."

"Why would it do that?" Aqua asked, confused. As much as she knew about the Keyblade…this was entirely new to her.

"Keyblades…" Kairi began, slowly, holding her head in her hands, as if trying to stave off a headache. "…are…weapons…of the heart."

"Ka-

"Shh!" Riku silenced Sora. Whatever this was, either she was fighting it, or she was fighting her. But either way, _something_ was trying to speak through her.

"…a person's Keyblade…is the manifestation of their heart's power…compressed into a tangible form. A…location's…Keyblade…is a symbol…of that location. All…all Keyblades…have a…sort of mind…they react…to the wielder's will. A Keyblade formed from…a person's heart…will grow stronger…or weaker…as the person's heart does. A Keyblade…formed from the heart of a location…allows itself to be wielded…by one who is worthy…who fits the criteria for wielding it…"

Mickey nodded, as if understanding, though he was confused as to where she was getting that information. It fit alongside something similar that Yen Sid had taught him.

"…he must have…done…something. Something that made the Keyblade from the Realm of Darkness find him more worthy than you, as its bearer. Your judgment of him didn't help…it's…possible it accepted you…because you braved the Darkness to find it, and didn't get corrupted by it. But…your blatant judgment…and…his existence…must have caused it to decide he was a better candidate than you." Kairi finished, slowly lifting her head.

"Yeah…I get it. Well, he kicked my butt something fierce either way. I guess he got what he came for because he just left. Some of the guards tried to stop him but he just decimated them all. But…I found out…what happened."

"To the Islands?" Sora asked, head still spinning that Kairi was connected to that guy.

Mickey nodded sadly. "They've been destroyed."

Eyes widened all around. But then Sora got a confident look. "That's…not good…but we can bring them back. We did it before."

Mickey shook his head. "No Sora…last time…last time the heart of your world was consumed by the Heartless. The heartless…didn't eat your world this time. It's been _erased_."

Kairi's hands shot to her mouth as she gasped in horror, understanding from what she could glean off of Seth's own knowledge, the meaning behind that word.

"Wh-what's the difference…?" Aqua asked, worried, but more confused than anything.

"Th-they're gone…completely gone…no bringing them back…" Kairi stammered. "To _erase_ something is to remove it from existence. To _completely _erase something is to remove even its _concept_. The islands…our world…just…gone…" She was horrified.

Aqua was still a little lost.

"Imagine…a note. A specific piece of paper with a few words on it." Minnie began, though she too was in pain, knowing. "You read the note, crumple it, set it on fire and scatter the ashes. The note, conceptually, still exists, because you remember it. But physically it's gone. Even if you were to take a similar piece of paper, write the same words, in the same ink, in the same way…it's still a _different_ note. That is what happened to their world. Their world is that first note. Completely destroyed, with only their memory of it remaining."

Mickey nodded sadly. "I had someone take a look…there's nothing there. Just…pieces of rock, specks of cosmic dust…I…I'm sorry guys…"

Sora and Riku began to tear up, Sora more than Riku. "…our parents…" the brunette spoke softly, in pain.

"Our…families…our friends…"

"…all…gone…?"

"No…" Kairi said suddenly. _Forcefully._ "Not all…Tidus…and Wakka. They're still alive, somehow. We've met them. And they remember us…and our worl-OH MY GOD!" Her eyes shot wide as she gasped again.

"Wh-what?"

"Our world…it's been _conceptually erased!_" she screamed.

"But we-

"_We're protected by the __**fucking Keyblade!**_ Tidus and Wakka! They didn't remember until Sora _pushed!_ And then the memories tore themselves back in! Anyone without a Keyblade, a weapon of the _heart_, the same _heart_ that **memories** and emotions tied to them are stored in, _won't remember!_ _We_ remember because we've been there, lived there, and we have Keyblades!"

Stunned silence followed that statement.

"…damn him."

"It's not _his_ fault."

"Yes it is! If he hadn't-

"Even if he hadn't jumped into my body our world still would have been destroyed by Xemnas!"

"You can't know that! We beat him before!"

"Because he overexerted himself and then took you two head-on like an idiot while underestimating just how _thick-headed_ you two can be when it comes to each other! We were fighting at the _heart_ of our world! Something _nobody_ has documented doing before! **ANYTHING** could have been the cause!"

"What the _hell_ Kairi?! Why do you keep sticking up for him?! You admit it yourself you want to kick his ass, so why do you keep arguing with me whenever I bring him up?!"

"Because you're _wrong _Riku!" "Because of Mental Contamination." Kairi yelled but Minnie spoke softly. Everyone turned to the mouse woman.

"Kairi has linked hearts twice with him now. Both times there was an exchange of emotions, memories, knowledge, and existence. They are connected on a level enough that she has a Resonance Reaction when he's near. She said it herself, his will is stronger than hers. When hearts link that deeply, pieces of emotion, of personality, get exchanged. The more often and the longer the hearts connect and remain connected, the more pieces get exchanged. Equal wills and powers will assimilate relevant emotional fragments and absorb them, strengthening the individual's existence. However, Kairi is technically _weaker _than Seth at the moment. Thus his personality traits are beginning to corrupt hers."

Kairi visibly deflated. "…what…does that mean…?"

"It means that his morals, his way of thinking, his way of _being_…it's slowly becoming _yours_ as well. I'm sorry, corruption is a rather…_strong_ word for it, but it's the one that fits most aptly right now. I don't mean to sound like I'm insulting you when I say this Kairi, but your existence…your mind, is lesser than his, at the moment. He has an ironclad will, apparently, and yours isn't as strong. Thus, because of the repeated links, some of his beliefs and morals are beginning to augment, if not outright replace yours. Naturally, what would happen when two equal minds connect, is that opposing or unwanted thoughts become analyzed and assimilated. What happens is that rather than outright change, instead, _understanding_ is brought.

Rather than thinking oppositely to the way you normally would, it becomes easier to detach your emotions from an unwanted concept or situation. You can effectively understand it much better. Say, for example, you come across a person who likes something you can't stand. Before linking hearts with them, or someone who shares their interest, you can't fathom why they would. It irks you, enrages you, that they would support such a thing. And then you link hearts. If you were stronger than they, they would begin to dislike it as well. If you were weaker than they, _you_ would begin to like it. If you two were equal, neither of you would _overtly_ change, but ultimately you would understand the other's position better. So instead of animosity, there's just mild distaste. You don't like it. They like it. Both of you understand _why_ someone would like or dislike it. Thus, there are fewer clashes of opinion, because you can understand." Minnie explained.

"What is happening with you, at the moment, is because he is the primary in your link, his thoughts and emotions are beginning to cloud yours, when it comes to certain concepts. Riku, she's arguing with you all the time on the subject of him because she understands him in ways you currently cannot, and would not be able to unless you look past your dislike of him, or link hearts with her or him. She knows enough of what he knows, and through that knowledge, believes things about him you cannot fathom because she has _seen_ them in him. You haven't. She will defend him the same way she would defend you _from_ him, because she knows things the other doesn't."

"So…she's not herself."

"In a sense yes, but in a sense no. Kairi is still and will always be, Kairi. It's just that now 'Kairi' has traces of an existence called 'Seth' flowing through her. She has more knowledge, access to knowledge she didn't have before. Honestly, it's like reading a book on a subject, and learning things that you didn't know before. Things that change how you perceive the world around you. Knowledge can lead to growth or stagnation depending on the beholder. Right now, she is being _forced_ to grow, due to this knowledge. When her concept of existence can match his, no longer will it be forced. She'll be able to control the rate and direction of her conceptual growth, but for now, he is in control, and he's directing her to grow like he did, though likely it's unknowingly."

"He doesn't know. Unless he got it from my heart during the last exchange, he has no idea this is happening to me. Though I wouldn't be surprised at all if he figured it out on his own…it…Queen Minnie…what…would happen if someone, during a moment where their hearts were linked, gives a fragment of _Will_ to another person, that is meant to act as a trigger for something…?"

"Why do you ask?" Minnie tilted her head.

"I…Seth…while we were connected the second time…he said 'to make up for basically being forced to grope you, and cause I can't train you right now, I'm going to give you something of mine.' Or something like that. He said he'd give me a fragment of his heart's power, which caused him to gain something more than just the Keyblade. That fragment…is meant to awaken something inside my _own_ heart. 'I can teach you vaguely how to awaken it, but after that, it's all you, cause it'll be _your_ power.'"

"Hmm…" Minnie frowned in thought. "And this…fragment…it has a Purpose?"

"Yes. A specific purpose."

"And its purpose is to awaken a power within you?"

"Yes. He said it's based off of a power that he holds, but the form it will take will be entirely up to me. His fragment is just meant to alter…uhh…my 'magical channels' so this power can flow."

"He can do such a thing?" Minnie was shocked.

"umm…is that…bad?"

"No…no it's just unexpected. Even Merlin prefers not to tamper with someone's magical core. Awaken it, yes, but re-arrange it…? That's dangerous territory…but…I suppose…yes…considering it's a power drawn from the heart, much like the Keyblade, I can imagine a lot of the danger of the concept would be removed…especially since the only thing he's doing with that fragment is to merely redirect the flow of energy…Hmm…no…I don't believe such a thing would cause further contamination. Not at those specifications. And you believe him, yes?"

Kairi nodded. "We were linked, so I would have felt any extra intent. All I felt was that he _was_ sorry, and wanted to give me something to help out. I think…" She lifted two fingers to her forehead, as if trying to remember something hidden away. "…I think…he felt bad…about basically using me as a tool…and wanted to let me know that's…not how he saw me at all."

"Why do you say that, my dear?" Minnie asked.

"…he told me not to die on him. …and that he thinks I'd be fun to hang out with."

* * *

"Why is there always music when you're around?"

(BGM: Final Fantasy XI – Faded Memories - Promyvion)

Two figures were sitting at the top of a very tall clocktower. The sky was a blend of colors, the hues of the time between night and day.

"What you got a problem with music now?"

One of the figures was a male, with light brown skin, black hair, and laying on his back stroking what looked like a strange baby made of pure shadow. The other was female, fair skinned, with bright yet deep blue eyes and short black hair. She wore a black long-coat, zipped to her neck, similarly black gloves and high heeled boots. She rolled her eyes at her companion.

"No…I've just been wondering why every time you're here, music is playing."

"Well…probably cause this place makes no sense. And I like music. And I've got this eternal ringing in my head so stuff like music drowns it out. Kinda surprising though, considering I didn't hear it at the weird void place thing…"

"Weird void place thing?" she quoted.

"Yeah some black void with a lot of stained glass flooring. Actually the last one had Red and some other chick…and then this place in the background. And I think it had _you_ too. Couldn't see your face though. But looking at you from behind, yeah it was definitely you."

"How odd." The girl muttered. She looked over to her companion, where he was gently stroking the head of the strange creature. "I still can't believe you tamed a heartless."

Seth snorted. "I didn't tame _shit._ Miri just likes me apparently." Indeed, the creature was a Shadow heartless. And it did indeed appear to be, quite tamed. It was giving soft, cooing noises as he continued to stroke its…form.

"What's it like, petting Miri?" After their second meeting, Xion realized it best to just go along with whatever happened around Seth. It was strange enough that he'd managed to reach this odd mashup realm of locations she'd visited, considering she was the only person who existed in the non-existing place. The fact that background music would start up whenever he was around made it weird enough.

"Oddly? It feels like petting a cat's fur. Wanna see for yourself?"

"You…think she'd let me?" Xion started getting excited. She'd _killed_ plenty of heartless, and been hurt by them, but never once did she really _touch_ one.

"Dunno. Up to her really." Xion slowly crawled over, not wanting to make a larger form appear as a threat. During this time Seth, once again appraised the girl he was with.

He didn't get to see under the cloak, but she looked like she had a small frame. Definitely had a cute face. And her skin color combined with her hair color really made her eyes stand out. Actually, that was what drew him the most. Her eyes. He _swore_ in his mind he'd seen those eyes before. And during their second meeting, he found out, he _did_.

Xion, was a clone. Key word being _was_. Apparently she wasn't supposed to exist anymore, having had whoever Roxas was, damage her physical form enough that her existence would destabilize, and she would return to Sora's heart. She was formed as an attempt by Xemnas, who once again Seth was glad he got rid of, to have a Keyblade master under _his_ control. Well, complications arose, she found out the truth of her existence, and after a time, accepted it. Ultimately, her love of her two friends, Roxas and Axel, led her to shedding her existence, and very concept, to create a better life for them.

But something happened. She still remained…though in this strange mashup of reality. She was aware, she was _conscious_. She was **lonely**.

Being that Kairi was the strongest memory in Sora's heart at the time of her creation, she shares a very similar frame and facial structure to the Princess. Her hair style is how Kairi had it two years ago, just black, and parted on the opposite side. Like Kairi and Sora, she could wield a Keyblade, though she never had to in this place. It confused her enough that she was still aware of herself, and not just a not-recalled phantom in Sora's heart.

But she was definitely cute, Seth thought. A bit dark and gloomy, but you would be too, if you had her life. _Then again,_ Seth mused _I've got a thing for the broken girls. Moreso for the broken girls who are secretly capable of busting someone's ass. Those are the most fun. Give them a purpose, a boost of confidence, and belief in themselves, and you've got a cute girl with a chip on her shoulder who can throw down with the best of them._

Xion was a little unnerved at the sudden grin on Seth's face, and paused. Lucky she did because suddenly, the music stopped.

"…eh?" Seth blinked, looking skyward, as if trying to glare at a heavenly DJ. He was distracted by Miri's head suddenly snapping up, the Shadow looking around wildly, chittering madly.

"What's wrong Miri?" Xion asked, leaning back as to not pose a target. The shadow just continued to chitter away, as its antennae flicked around wildly.

"She's agitated…something's spooked her."

"You understand her?"

"Well it's not like _speech_ but…kind of a sensation. Perception, I guess."

And then _he_ felt it. A strange, uncomfortable pressure in his heart. Something was there that _shouldn't_ have been.

"…the hell…?" He sat up, before all of his senses flared. "Shit!"

He jumped, Miri, bursting into wisps, diving back into his shadow, as he grabbed Xion by the waist and plunged the two of them off the clocktower. She gave a startled yelp, and clutched him tightly as the winds buffeted the two of them, before a pulse of _something_ ripped from him, and their descent slowed suddenly, and they landed gently.

"What was-

She was cut off by rings of light appearing in the air, before growing into strange Bi-pedal bird-men holding giant golden staves tipped with what looked like hooked crosses.

"…shit…these things again…"

To her surprise, a soft glow appeared at his waist, before chains erupted out of it, forming into a black belt. A haunting tune played.

"Henshin!"

_**Crow Form**_

Shard into buckle. Grey light emerged from the buckle, before shattering into fragments that grafted upon his body, forming armor.

Suddenly, music started once again, only different. Faster paced.

(BGM: Ar Tonelico II – Vrtra)

"Don't hold anything back! These things are tough as hell!" He said, before blasting off right at the group, before lashing out with a full body gravity pulse that blew the others away.

Stunned, both by his sudden transformation, and the arrival of the strange creatures, all she could do was call her Keyblade and dive into battle herself.

* * *

_He wasn't kidding when he said they were tough!_ It had been at least five minutes, and only a single one had fallen. There were still four left. Xion was barely holding off the one, while Seth was dashing and bursting around the other three, flicking his Keyblade out every now and then to keep them distracted and off kilter. It surprised her to see _him_ with a Keyblade, but she got over it quickly. She was drawn from her thoughts as she felt something coming at her fast. She ducked, and then blinked in surprise as the shadow heartless, called Miri by Seth, latched itself onto the bird-man-creature's face, clawing away, before kicking off and raking its claws down the winged being's back.

She cringed as she saw strange gooey clear liquid, as well as blood, begin to seep from its body. _These things are disgusting!_ Pulling her right hand back, she launched a trio of fireballs directly into its chest, watching as Miri skirted through its legs, slashing wildly, before jumping up and bringing her claws down across the monster's chest. It stumbled, and seeing an opening, Xion jumped forward, thrusting her Keyblade right into its chest, before twisting. The creature gave an agonized squawk, before bursting into bloody chunks of flesh that then glowed before _they_ burst into fragments of light that softly dissipated.

"Ok…ew." Was all she had to say. Miri chittered away at her again, before climbing rapidly up her legs, onto her back and lodging herself into Xion's hair, before using it as a springboard to crash headfirst into one of the creatures that was going to attack Xion from behind. Whirling around, the black haired girl was surprised both by the sudden arrival of the creature as well as Miri's defense, before banishing it to the side and once again lashing out with her Keyblade.

Meanwhile, Seth was using his superior mobility to counter the creature's reach with their strange saw-staves. _Two down_. He prepared for another burst run when suddenly all three remaining creatures began to glow.

_That can't be good…_

* * *

A pained yelp escaped Xion's lips as she tumbled into the wall leading to a big drop down into the lower parts of Twilight Town. The three creatures had become one _big_ one, looking like a giant made of marble flesh with the head of a baby holding a massive golden axe. She'd just been swatted aside by the flat end of the axe, while Seth was buzzing around from ground to air like an annoying fly. Miri had long since faded back into his shadow, the heartless unable to deal any damage with its tiny claws. She watched as Seth reverse-flipped under a horizontal swing, bringing his sword vertically up to attack the giant's head, only to have to dash to the side to avoid the retaliating punch from its three fingered fist.

He'd taken a few hits, but the armor seemed to be doing a good job of mitigating the damage done to him. His speed was the primary factor though. _He's fast. And those things on his back act like wings. Whatever that armor is, without it we'd probably have been toast. The Keyblade doesn't seem to do any special damage to these things, and magic only does just a little more._

And then she noticed something. The few times he'd struck what looked like a large red gem on the monster's back, it seemed to flinch more than other times, if it flinched at all. That's when she realized what it was.

"Seth! The gem on its back! That's its weak point!"

He threw out a staggering wave of pressure, before doing a backflip-dash to where she was, landing next to her.

"Y'know, just when you said that, I had the same thought. Great minds, eh?" She nodded. "My _own_ back is killing me, I might have bruised something…sorry I can't help."

Behind the helmet, he gave her a small grin. Reaching out he gently pat her on the head. "Hey, you did good for fighting these things the first time. First time I fought them I got my ass handed to me. This armor was the only thing that kept me from getting killed. Don't worry, I got this now."

The vents flared open and he rocketed forward at a blinding speed, crashing right into the creature's chest, before throwing out another pressure wave and blowing it backward. He flew up, before shooting back down, slamming his Keyblade right onto the gem's back with the force of a falling bus. The gem cracked, and the monster gave a violent shudder before the flesh on it seemed to explode off, blood and gooey substance cascading to the ground. Xion flinched as some of it got on her.

"Oh ewww."

He dropped from the sky, as the monster flailed around, trying to grasp him and pummel him. Ignoring her disgust, she watched him banish his Keyblade before pulling the crystal shard from the buckle, shifting the buckle and thrusting the shard back in.

_**Full Charge**_

"RIDER KICK!"

"_**RIDER…KICK."**_

She blinked in surprise, both at the strange voice, and the fact that the belt buckle seemed to crackle with violet electricity before it raced down his right leg before encasing his foot. The vents flared open and he dashed forward, before going into a rapid forward rotation, curling up like a ball before lashing out his right foot, the heel connecting with the monster giant's head. Upon contact, the energy crackled along its body, before it exploded in a wave of energy. Seth flipped one final time, before landing on his left foot, armor beginning to glow, just before it shattered in a gentle cascading wave.

Slowly, gingerly, Xion got up.

"Well…that was a thing." Seth said.

(BGM: Chrono Cross – Dream of the Shore Bordering Another World)

Xion nodded softly. "Yeah…" She looked down at herself, before cringing in disgust. She took off her gloves and tossed them aside before reaching for the zipper on her cloak. She paused, as she was about to pull it down, noticing he was watching her. She flushed slightly, before peering through her bangs at him.

"Umm…do you mind turning around? I'm not…exactly wearing a shirt underneath this."

Seth just blinked at her. "…what's the difference between a bra and a bikini top, Xion?"

She blinked at him. Then she realized what he was trying to say. _They both show the same amount of skin._ Then she blinked again, and proceeded to stare at him blankly. "I'm not wearing a bra underneath this _either_."

His eyebrows shot up, before he got a small grin on his face. "Indeed. _That_ would be a reason to turn." And turn he did.

She was still a little embarrassed, but she proceeded to unzip the cloak, before taking it off entirely, looking it over. "Ugh…it's gonna take forever to wash this stuff off…" And then her dilemma hit her. _Oh…oh boo I don't have a shirt to put on…_

As if sensing her need, she saw Seth's hand thrust in front of her face. She blinked rapidly as she realized he was holding the sleeveless vest he wore, out to her, while keeping his body and head turned. Flushing deeper, she dropped her cloak on the ground and gently took the jacket from him, before quickly putting it on and zipping it up. She had to adjust it a little, before she felt comfortable in it.

_Mmm…warm…_ And then she gave a small squeal before covering her mouth, while her cheeks flared as she realized what she just thought.

"Not gonna ask what that was."

"G-good."

"Anyway, can I turn around now?"

"Y-yeah."

He proceeded to do so. "Alright I was thinking."

"Did it hurt?" she quipped.

"Quite, actually, cause I had to push away the thoughts of you, topless." He countered.

She flushed heavily and bowed her head. _Ok he wins this one…_ She missed his shit-eating grin.

_Oh poor Xion…you've never met a guy like me before. I'm going to make your head spin._

"Anyway like I was saying, I've been thinking. Why don't you just _make_ an existence?"

She stared at him blankly. He motioned for her to walk with him. "Like, ok. Hear me out. You existed at one point, even if it was just a physical clone of Roxas who is apparently Sora's nobody. But you became self-aware, started developing your own thoughts and motives, and even found the love of family. That means your existence grew beyond its original parameters. You became, in a sense, 'real.' With me so far?"

She nodded.

"Alright, so. Because of this, and because of the links you forged, you started growing more 'real'. But your existence then, was based off of Sora's. and in a way, Roxas'. Their existences were supporting yours, so as long as you lived, they would slowly begin to fade. Kind of like a parasite. So you offed yourself, to stop the drain, and restore both of them to normal. Now, from what you've told me, in the process, they would forget you ever existed, because you technically weren't a 'real' person. But I think that's a little off. See, you existed as a _physical_ **and** _mental_ being. If you were just mental, then I could see how you fading back into Sora could mean that people would forget you. But ultimately, you were both, so you still existed, even if people forgot. On top of which, _you _believed you existed."

"Yes…" She was aware of how contradictory her existence, both back then, and now, was.

"Well here's what I'm thinking. I'm thinking, that by being self-aware, you anchored your conscious existence to Sora. All the power you'd drawn from him went back to him, but rather than fading, because you believed yourself to still exist, because you refused to let go of your memories of your time existing, you kept a small fragment of yourself 'alive' in a sense. On top of which, nobody went through time to prevent you from ever being created, so your _concept_ of existence, both as a replica, and as Xion, still remained. Your existence as 'Xion, the Replica Nobody' ended, but your personally perceived existence as 'Xion, wielder of the Keyblade, friend of Roxas and Axel' continued on in your own heart, which I believe was forged while you were a replica."

"But I was a replica _nobody_. Nobodies don't have hearts." Xion pointed out sadly.

"No…but how do you explain loving Axel and Roxas the way you do, if you didn't have a heart?"

She stopped, causing him to stop. They were near the hole in the wall leading to the abandoned mansion.

"I…"

"No idea, right? Well here's my theory. Nobodies have the memories of emotions. They have echoes of those emotions. They remember how to feel. Who is to say those memories don't lead them to forging a _new_ heart, if not outright connect them, if just _barely_ to their existing one that happens to be shrouded in Darkness? How do you explain the natural affinity for Dark Corridors, if they cannot draw that dark power from the depths of the void where their heart is? Being able to travel one without corruption makes sense cause they don't currently house an emotional core to corrupt, but being able to _easily_ open one? That takes an affinity that they shouldn't have, if they are beings of Nothingness."

"…so what…would that mean for me…?"

He grasped her shoulders, causing her to look at him.

"It means, if I'm right…that at some point, you began forging a heart of your own. And that heart, is still with you, right here, right now. Which means that you _still exist_. It's only that nobody _out there_ knows about you. All their memories of you have been removed. But I met you _here_. _After_ you were forgotten by everyone else. So this is what I think you can do. I think…if I were to find some sort of physical proof of even _alluding _to your existence…and you were to completely believe in yourself, and your existence. And we were to forge a new existence for you, you could return to the 'real' world."

She just stared at him, in shock. "…but…how…"

"By making me your Observer."

"…my _what?_"

"The concept of an Observer's a rather complex one. But to simplify it, basically it means I would be…watching…your existence, in a sense. I would be acknowledging that you exist, which meant that since _my _reality states that you're real, in a sense, you _would_ be. It's like…you get stabbed through the foot, but you don't notice it. But you feel something blocking your foot. You then look down and see something impaling you. At that moment, you're _Observing_ that there is an object sticking out of your foot. Then the pain hits. And the pain only came because you _Observed_ that there was a _reason_ for it.

By me stating that you exist, and having you make some sort of information dump that contains your existence, we might be able to bring the _Concept_ of your existence back to the outside. Combine that with a bit of magic, some proof that you exist, and a bit of belief, and you can exist again."

"…because…you would…be making me real…?" is this a thing that could happen? Could she really come back if he wished it?

"Well…think about it. You believe you exist. You believe in your memories, your connections. Roxas and Axel, must still exist in some way, or you wouldn't be as strong as you are right now. You would be weak, tired all the time, lethargic, barely able to move. Constantly blinking in and out of visible space. But you're not. You're solid, you can still use your Keyblade and magic. You're still your cute self."

She flushed, but didn't remove her eyes from his.

"I believe you exist, I've met you. Learned of you. Spent time with you. I have memories of you. Even out there, so it's not like you only exist for me when I'm here. You still exist for me even when I'm out there. It's like a car accident. The trauma could make someone forget. They have a broken arm. But they don't remember how they got it. It doesn't mean that the accident didn't happen, they just don't remember it. The damage is still there, the car is still totaled, they're still hurt. But they don't remember how or why they got hurt, or why their car is suddenly broken beyond repair. You've been forgotten. But you existed in a physical _and_ mental state. Somewhere, there is some sort of irrefutable proof that you once walked the worlds like anyone else. If we can find that proof of your existence, then someone can declare 'yes, this person _did_ exist. And she still does.' And from there, we could possibly re-forge your body."

"…how?" She wanted…no…needed to know.

"Right now, out there, I'm laying in a room with a flowery looking pod. Inside that pod, is the heart of a girl. I don't personally know her, but she existed at one point. I know her story. Combined with a fragment of pure light, to grant her more power, the pod is using those memories of her, and her own existing heart, to re-forge her body from the ground up. It's a gamble, and I'm not sure if it'll work, but I believe it has a good chance of working out, so I'm doing it. I don't know its progress. I don't know if it failed or something while I've been here, but last I checked, it was on its way. If I can bring _her_ back, a warrior girl who was remembered but her heart was sealed in another, her body long destroyed? Then I can bring _you_ back. All I'd need is proof of your existence."

"…and because we _both_ believe in me…I would become real again…?"

"That's the theory. Admittedly with _her_ it's a little different because people other than me remember her, but…"

"…I left…my diary…" she spoke softly.

"Where?"

"…somewhere…in the castle. At The World that Never Was. You say…you're in a room with a pod. Where is that?"

"There." He pointed to the mansion. They'd resumed walking, and had wandered through the forest.

"There is…a dark corridor that's always open. It leads to Betwixt and Between, a border realm between light and dark. If you cross it, you'll be in the City that Never Was. At the far end of that city is a castle-

"Kairi's been there. And I drew that information from her…so I know what you're talking about. Alright. So I just need to find your diary then?"

"I don't know if it'll still exist…everything related to me was displaced…" He lifted her chin, gently.

"Hey…even if I just find a scrap of paper alluding to 'the replica' or something, I could use it." She nodded, eyes watering.

"But…I need you to do something as well."

"Keep believing." She said. He grinned.

"Not just that. But I need you to write yourself into existence."

"…huh?"

"From what I got off of Kairi, who got this off of Naminé, there's a computer in the mansion. This computer controls a sort of portal to a mimic of twilight town, made of Data. If one of us could plug your information into that Data Twilight Town, we could construct a body for you there."

"Which I could then inhabit and use as my own…but…wouldn't that mean-

"Things from the Data Twilight Town can be taken _out_. And function as they would, if they were created in the normal reality."

Her eyes widened.

"That means, we can bring you back, Xion."

She burst into tears, wailing before clutching him tightly. He just smiled gently and held her.

"I promise…and I _hate _making promises because I always force myself to keep them…but I promise you. We'll get you back. I can't say if you'll be able to see Roxas, or Axel again…but at the very least, you'll be _real_. And if somehow, they return, or if by making you real, Sora remembers you…well…that counts for something, right?"

She nodded. Something pulled at his heart.

"Boo…looks like I gotta wake up." She pulled away and wiped her tears. She moved to unzip his jacket but a hand on hers stopped her. She looked up at him.

"Keep it. I mean, I dunno if it'll stay when I go but technically since you're wearing it, its yours. Plus, I've still got mine out there, remember?"

She flushed sheepishly but nodded.

"Anyway, that computer over there's got some blank information for you to fill in. Take your time with it. And remember, you're basically creating a brand new you, so you're not bound by who you used to be."

He grinned at her, before fading away.

She just stared at the spot he was standing at, for a full five minutes, mind racing. Unconsciously she clutched his jacket closer to herself, unknowingly smiling. Deep in her heart, she now classified Seth as the _third_ person to care about her. The emotional core she thought non-existent, glowed as it acknowledged the newly forged emotional connection between the two. Thanks to him…she had _hope_ again. Xion stepped to the console, before sitting down at the leather chair, looking at the screen.

**NAME:**

**AGE:**

**HEIGHT:**

**WEIGHT:**

**EYE:**

**HAIR:**

**DESCRIPTION:**

She stared at it for a little bit…mind racing still. This…was the first step. The first step to getting her life back. To becoming _more_ than just a memory, or a replica. The first step to becoming a person. A _real_ person. A person with right to exist. A person whose existence _wouldn't_ be hurting others…unless she chose it to. Slowly…gently…she rose her shaking fingers…

**NAME:**

She stared at the word. Her final obstacle. Everything else would be easy to fill in. But her _name_. What's in a name? It's a designation…something that gives rise to an image. She looks like Kairi, if the Princess were to get out of the sun and go goth. So she wants something that makes her…_her_. Looking at her could invoke memories and thoughts of Kairi…

…_memory…_

The one thing nobody had of her. Except…now Seth. But should she count him? After all, he said it himself, he came _after_ everyone else forgot about her…

…_everyone…except me. And now he knows me…and by knowing me, he remembers me. Even if he didn't know me 'then', he knows me 'now.' And isn't that the point of all this? To make a new 'now'?_

**NAME:**

She continued to stare at it. Struggling. And then, it came to her. Something she wanted most dearly, was _memory_. For people to remember her. She had a name…kinda. Xion. No. i...But…that wasn't who she wanted to be anymore.

_Xemnas would take letters of people's human names and shuffle them before slapping an X somewhere in there. Even if it twisted even his tongue trying to say it. Like how the hell would you pronounce Marluxia if you didn't already know? Or Larxene? Or shoot, even __**my**__ name confused me for a while. Spoken like 'she' but spelled like 'ksee'. Shoot it could even be spoken like 'Zee-on' or "zeye-on" or something. So…what would be my name…?_

_Noi? No…that's…blegh. Oni? No…I'm not a demon…though I'm pretty sure one or two of the other guys thought I was…what with them not seeing __**me**__. Ino? …Ino…that has a nice ring to it…but…what would be my last name…?_

She sat there, staring at the screen. _…or maybe that __**would**__ be my last name. Who says I have to follow how…what did Seth call him…oh right. How "Mansex" did things? I'm my own person! Or at least…that's what I'm trying to be. So…Ino would be my last name. Umm…from what I remember, people usually have a first, middle and last name…even if half the time they only use one. So…I could keep my middle name as Xion…cause…that's what everyone remembered me from before as. And…I kinda like it anyway. So…something 'Xion' Ino…err…_

She frowned to herself. Before it hit her again. _Memory…_

_Hmm…actually…despite wanting to basically tell Mansex to go shove it…when I think about it…I really like the sound of this…when it's the other way around…so I put…Ino here…and Xion here…and the last one…_

A light flickered behind her eyes. And she gave a soft smile.

**NAME: ** _**Ino "Xion" Memoria**_

* * *

Slowly, and with a soft mumbled groan, he woke from his nap. He twitched, feeling an annoying pressure on his spine, due to him sleeping on both the hard floor and a wall at the same time. Shifting his weight, he pressed his hands against the wall as a brace, and slowly stood, groaning louder as his bones protested the motion. He leaned back, hands above his head, anchoring a weak gravitational field to the ceiling to pull him upwards slightly, and stretched.

**CRACK**

"GAH!"

Yes…his spine let out a loud, sickening noise as he stretched, the pressure built up releasing. Tension faded from the area as he bent forward rapidly.

**THUD**

"_**FUCK!**_"

And proceeded to smash his head onto the wall before him. _Oh…Sweet, TIA why? The fuck'd I do this time?!_

Muttering something about shitty Weavers and their stupid need to get off on his injuries, he barely noticed when a soft voice echoed through the chamber.

"I don't mean to interrupt…"

His neck cracked as his head rapidly turned to the direction of the voice…

Where a completely naked, pale blonde haired girl, barely covering herself with her arms, seemed to shiver.

"…_daaaamn."_ Was his reflexive answer. The girl blushed heavily, before her eyes narrowed.

"If you're done staring."

He held up a hand. "Not yet. Give me another five seconds…ok I'm good." And _then_ he turned around, just in time to miss her glare.

"Pervert…" she muttered to herself.

"Yeah, and? Sorry Alicia but I've not even _seen_ a naked woman in Tia knows how long. You're the first since I woke up…both times."

"That's supposed to make me feel better about it?"

He sighed. "I'm losing my touch…I really am. How is it I've managed to piss off every girl I've met save one since I woke up?" he complained.

"Perhaps not being a _pervert_ would help?" Alicia sniped.

He shook his head. "It's how I cope."

"By making women around you feel like objects?"

"Oi! I'm not _that_ shitty of a person ok? I _appreciate _and _admire_ both the female body and the female concept. I haven't gotten laid in Tia knows how long and I haven't gotten _off_ in the same period of time. Combine that with the fact that I think I'm still emotionally linked to a hormonal _sixteen year old girl_ who silently wants to ride her best friend into the damn sunset but is currently too much of a _pussy_ to do something about it and I'm a _liiittle_ more of a sleazebag than I'd like to be right now."

She actually jerked her head back a little at the _venom_ in his voice when he said that. _Ok…maybe I was a bit harsh on him…_

"I mean come the _fuck_ on, if I was _that_ big a dick do you _really_ think you would be _standing_ right now? No, I'd be busy _taking_ you."

Her eyes narrowed. "I'm not weak."

"No, but I'm stronger than you. I have the field advantage, powers you can't combat right now, and a _hell_ of a lot more sex drive than I want at the moment. That's a pretty _nasty_ combination."

She was going to retort, but he sighed in frustration. "Look, there's clothes behind the pod. Just…just go put them on."

She frowned, but proceeded to do that. And _he_ proceeded with the next part of his still salvageable plan.

"Ok, I'm going to run you through what I know so far, and why you're you again. But first, I need to know the last thing you remember."

A part of her wanted to throw in his face she had no reason to trust him. And she didn't. But she looked back at his statement about being able to overpower her if that was his goal…and realized, at that moment he would have been correct.

"…waving goodbye to Rufus after destroying Valeth."

Unseen, Seth nodded. That meant she wasn't coherent or even aware during whatever time-period it was since that moment and the moment he took her out of Hrist.

"Right. Ok, I don't know how much time has passed since then, but this is what I was able to gather: The True Valkyrie's form dissipated, taking the three souls of the Valkyrie sisters, and yours with it. From what I was able to get out of some people was that the four souls were re-sealed, the cycle of shifting from sister to sister retained. _Something_ happened though…Odin was returned to life but he was less of a dick. All the Einherjar I met agreed he was a little more mellow and a lot less anti-mortal or even anti-human at that. So…from what I can get…Rufus was consumed in some way, his traits passing to, and merging with Odin's, before Odin was restored to be less of a cockbat."

She wanted to laugh at the last word…but was overcome by sadness. She looked down at her hand. _The ring…it's…gone…_

She tensed up when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her bare waist; the girl only managing to have put on her leggings and boots. Counter to Silmeria, she preferred starting from the ground, up, when dressing, while the Valkyrie who once shared a body with her preferred starting at the top and working her way down. But, his hands were linked with his arms, which were wrapped around her stomach. There was…_something_ in the way he held her. She felt absolutely _no _perverse intent, despite the fact that she was naked from the waist up.

She was startled when she felt a tear rolling down her cheek. _Is…is that why…?_

"If you feel you have to, go ahead and cry, Alicia."

Some part of her rebelled, both because this stranger, this open, shameless _pervert_ was holding her, thus didn't deserve to see her in a state of weakness. Holding her without permission, she might add.

But another part of her questioned…was that such a bad thing? He was staying away from any intimate areas; his touch was loose, gentle; and he was offering her comfort. But why the sudden change?

As if he felt her question, he sighed.

"I don't remember much. Well no, that's wrong. I remember _a lot._ But almost none of it is anything I _want_ to know. My world…my _planet_ was destroyed, Tia knows how long ago."

_There's that name again…who is __**Tia**__?_ She thought.

"But before it was destroyed…I lost the three most important women in my life. They died…in the war. The war that didn't end until our world was erased. They meant everything to me. They were the only ones that supported me, that actually really cared. I had a few other friends, one or two almost as close as those three, but it was the four of us, living, killing, _surviving_ together. We were family. Well…one of them was. The other two…well…"

She made a noise of affirmation. They were intimate, that much was obvious. She could _feel_ the pain and yet _passion_ in his voice as he spoke of the three.

"When they died, I cried. A lot. And let me tell you, circumstances caused while I was growing up makes it very _difficult_ for me to cry, even when I want to. …so I know something similar to what you're feeling. But honestly? You got off easy. My most important people were killed. Nothing of them remains, nothing except _my _memory of him. For you? Rufus still lives, in a way. His very existence is making Odin a better ruler, more worthy of the title. Rufus may be dead, but his soul is merged with Odin's, to make a better future. It doesn't mean much, but at least…"

His arms dropped from her waist, and she felt the air around her turn as he began to walk away, to leave her to finish dressing in peace.

"…at least the one you love…his death had meaning."

* * *

"Here."

She caught a small plastic bag, not knowing what it was. She watched him holding a similar bag, tearing off a strip at the top, before opening it, shoving his hand inside, and grabbing what looked like a small piece of dried meat.

"Eat. You just became real after Tia knows how long being a sleeping spirit. Your body needs _something_ in it."

She looked at him, nodding, before copying him.

"What is this…is this jerky?"

"Mmhmm." He mumbled around a piece held in his mouth. He motioned for her to sit on a bench next to him.

"Ok. Here's how it is. I brought you back because it was convenient, not gonna lie. I need a partner for what I'm doing, and you fit the bill perfectly. To be honest I was going to look for whatever strong warrior I could, but I ended up at Valhalla, and learned about your existence, and decided 'what the hell' and went with it. Plus, it was part of an experiment. But that's not important right now. What _IS_ important is that Valhalla and Midgard aren't the only worlds in existence. There's hundreds, possibly thousands, maybe millions of worlds out there. Yours is just one of many. This place is another world as well."

Stunned Alicia could do nothing but stare at him, before she jumped as the slice of dried meat in her mouth dropped and then began floating of its own accord.

"Wh-what the-

"Remember how I said I had powers you couldn't beat right now? This is one of them." He made a gesture to the jerky.

"You're a telekinetic?!"

He shook his head. "Nothing so simple. I'll explain about myself later, right now you need to be brought up on general knowledge."

She nodded, hesitantly grabbing the floating meat. He stared at her, making her a little uncomfortable, before she realized he was going to make sure she ate. Flushing a little, not being used to being cared for _that_ much, she started nibbling at it. He nodded and continued.

_Maybe he's not all that bad…_

"Each world has a core, a 'heart', if you will. These hearts are connected at a very _very_ base level. Usually, the worlds are separate, but there are methods to cross between worlds. But that's not the big thing. There are…beings, creatures, if you will, that exist. This world, and your world, are part of a greater Realm called the Realm of Light. There are two other realms, the Realm of Darkness, and the Realm of Between, which is sort of a parallel reality that borders both Light and Dark."

She nodded, showing she understood.

"Each realm has its own denizens, but unfortunately for us, most of them aren't very keen on those from the Realm of Light. There are two primary factors. The first, are the Heartless. They are creatures from the Realm of Darkness, born from the negative emotions in the hearts of sentient beings as they die. It doesn't mean they're _evil_ though. They're honestly little more than animals following their base instincts. Heartless are drawn to the light of people's hearts, and seek to consume them. Each time they consume a heart, they replicate. Stronger hearts create stronger heartless. The problem with this is that with the walls between worlds weakened as they are, the Heartless are free to roam and consume.

The second problem is that someone with a strong enough darkness in their heart can control the heartless to an extent, directing their animal nature like a puppetmaster. But even with a strong darkness, if the heart itself is weak, the heartless will consume it. There are two breeds of heartless. One, is a natural breed, known as the Purebloods."

He looked around, confusing her, before closing his eyes. She jumped as his shadow _moved_, and a pair of glowing yellow eyes stared at her, blinking. Her own eyes widened as the shadow seemed to deepen, before rising up in the form of what looked like a pure black ant-headed baby with three claws. She pulled back, before looking at her companion in fear.

"Don't worry, she won't hurt you." She couldn't tell _who_ he was talking to.

"This, is Miri. I named her myself. She's a pureblood heartless, called a Shadow. Before you ask, I don't know _why_ I can summon her, just that she showed up at one point while I was in some unusual dream, and since then, she's been living in my shadow. She's been a real big help." He reached down and scratched the shadow on the head, where it cooed before nuzzling his hand and then melting back into his echo.

Alicia's heart stopped pounding.

"Pureblood heartless like Miri, are easy to tell. They look more like moving shadows than anything. Yellow eyes are another sign. They are the natural creatures living in the Realm of Darkness."

"…why…"

"I don't know why she isn't hostile, or hunting hearts, or even trying to consume mine. I think something's different about her, just like there are differences in some animals. I just don't know what."

She nodded, hesitantly.

"Eat. You need it."

She gave a soft glare but did so.

"Right, well, the second kind of heartless are known as Artificial, or Emblem heartless. These were created when a man and his cohorts began researching the power of the heart, as well as the effects of Darkness upon one. Originally they were confined to one location, but something happened, his cohorts turned on him, and their world was consumed by Darkness, where the Emblem heartless were set free, and wielded to deadly effectiveness. You can tell a pureblood from an emblem because an emblem heartless will have a specific red and black crossed heart symbol somewhere on their bodies. Also, if you kill a Pureblood, they melt into shadow, and that's it. An Emblem when it dies in a specific way, will release a glowing crystal in the universal shape of a heart."

"A specific way?"

"The heart does more than just give us emotions. Ahh…right…sorry. All this time I've been talking about the conceptual 'heart', the emotional core that resides in all living things, not the actual physical beating heart that pumps blood through our bodies." Her eyes widened.

"Ahh…I see. That explains things."

He grinned softly. "Probably should have clarified that bit first eh?"

"Yes…but I understand now."

"Right, anyway. The heart doesn't just let us _feel_ things. There's an ability to take the power of the heart, and solidify it into a physical shape. This shape, is a weapon, tied to, and powered by the heart of a living being." He looked around again, and seeing nobody paying attention, he held out his hand. Alicia jumped as a strange object appeared.

"This is that weapon. It is called a Keyblade. It is a weapon of the Heart, capable of many forms of magic and power. Its shape is different depending on the wielder, its power varies depending on the wielder, but they all share a few traits. A Keyblade cannot be forcibly parted from its wielder. At any time, the wielder can call it back to his or her hand with a simple thought. A Keyblade cannot break, unless the wielder's heart is weak. A Keyblade can function as both a slashing and bludgeoning weapon, depending on the shape and the wielder's will. Keyblades, being naturally formed by people's emotions merging into their magical channels, are capable of being foci for powerful reality augmentations. Any spell cast by a Keyblade is easier to form, as well as enhanced by the Keyblade's natural magical energy. Keyblades exist both in the Realm of Darkness, as well as the Realm of Light.

Each world has its own Keyblade, which it can grant to whomever it desires, provided they fit the criteria for wielding it. These Keyblades are known as Keyblades of Worlds Hearts, and will generally grant the wielder some level of power related to that world. A Keyblade can unlock any door or lock, conceptual or otherwise, making Keyblade wielders the most dangerous thieves known to man. A Keyblade is the only thing that can release the captured heart of an Emblem heartless. Keyblades can also unlock or lock access to the heart of a world, but you have to find a specific location in that world that houses what's called a Keyhole. Through this, a world can be saved, or destroyed at the keybearer's will. And finally, a Keyblade can unlock the heart of a person, separating their emotional core from the body, or simply opening it up to outside forces."

Alicia swallowed the meat she was absently chewing on. "That…is a _very_ formidable force."

"Yes…yes it is. I should know…it ended my world…"

Her eyes widened. "What?"

He nodded solemnly, the Keyblade fading away. "It's one of the few solid things I remember. The war was fought by people with Keyblades. I didn't have one until I woke up recently, but…_they_ did."

She could _see_ the pain in his eyes. Gently, she placed a hand on his shoulder. He reached up absently and squeezed it with one of his own.

"Anyway…the second faction are called Nobodies. They are displaced life-forms that have had their hearts stolen or consumed by the heartless, but had a strong enough will to not simply fade into the realm of Darkness. They seek hearts as well, but they seek _their_ hearts, thus, they are at odds with the heartless. They're also far more intelligent. On top of which, if you have a _very_ strong will, you can retain your human form, just lacking your heart, turning you into an emotionless shell, with memory of emotion, but no core to produce it. Though I have a running theory that with enough time and experiences, a Nobody can start to either connect with their missing heart, or begin forging a new one. But it's just a theory right now."

Alicia nodded.

"Nobodies, as a whole, being life-forms that technically aren't meant to exist, considering their existence subverts the natural cycle of Death, are shunned by both those of the Dark and those of the Light. Which I think is bullshit. They exist, that's all that should matter. But anyway…they're the second faction."

"Right."

"Now…I said before there's methods to travel between worlds. One such method is what's called a 'gummy ship'. Gummy Ships are made from fragments of a world's conceptual border, shattered by something breaking it down, such as heartless, nobodies, or even the destruction of nearby worlds. This breaking of borders is represented to the denizens of a planet as a sudden, unexpected meteor shower. After that, these fragments, called gummy blocks, will be scattered around the world. Put two blocks together, and they stick, letting you mold them into various shapes."

"That sounds quite useful."

"Yeah. It's also the safest method. Another method is to channel the power of Darkness to tear open a hole in reality that travels the shadowed pathways between worlds. Echoes of the world's once permanent links to one another, still exist, and using the power of Darkness, you can open a gate that takes you to this pathway. These are called Dark Corridors. The problem with them is that an unprotected heart is vulnerable, and can be overcome and consumed by the darkness. There was once a group of powerful Nobodies that created protective clothing that negated the corruptive effects of the Dark Corridor, though they didn't need them, considering they had no hearts to corrupt."

"I see…"

"There is also one other thing. Just like there are powerful denizens of darkness and between, there are powerful beings of Light. In this Realm, there are seven women with hearts of Pure Light that cannot be corrupted by Darkness, though they can feel and experience negative emotions just the same. Their hearts cannot be consumed by heartless, though they can be displaced. But because they are of pure Light, their bodies don't fade away, they just remain, lifeless, until the body and heart are reunited. Together, they have the power to open a gateway to the conceptual heart of all worlds, called Kingdom Hearts. Kingdom Hearts lies _deep_ within the Realm of Darkness, the most powerful of heartless protecting it from all who seek it."

Alicia was amazed. So much went on in the world beyond hers.

"It's to one of these princesses of Heart, that I am connected."

She was about to ask when suddenly he grabbed his chest. His head snapped up as he stood suddenly, looking around wildly.

"What's wrong?"

"…she's here."

"What? Who?"

"Kairi…the Princess of Heart. Shit…"

"What's wrong with that? Wait, how do you even know?"

"Resonance Reaction. I can feel it when she's in close enough proximity to me. As for why that's bad…well it's not so much bad as it is I'm not ready to deal with her yet. I still need to catch you up to speed."

"I don't need to be involved." Alicia said pointedly.

"No…no you don't." he looked at her. She flushed a little as his gaze stayed locked to hers but she stood her ground.

"…listen. I brought you back for a selfish reason. But…this isn't your problem. I wanted you with me cause I needed a partner who could fight…there's another group of creatures that have appeared. I don't know where they came from but they're difficult as hell to kill. I was hoping your power would be enough to balance the scales. But you're right…look. Come with me for one errand. I have one thing I need to do. I want your help but you don't have any reason to help me. So…just stick with me for this one thing, and think about it. I never locked your world against the heartless, and I don't know if these things are after worlds or what…so you going back might not even do anything more than make you depressed.

Before I bolted, I saw that I'd ended up splitting the three sisters, so maybe they'll take you in since you _did_ keep their existences stable. But just…come with me for one task and think it over. After that, if you wanna go home, I'll take you there."

She stared at him. He was still holding his chest, over his heart…but she sensed no deception in his words. She could _hear_ the desperation in his voice, about wanting a companion…and she had to admit that he sounded _extremely _tired and lonely. But was it enough?

_I have nothing left back in Valhalla or Midgard…my father is dead, my mother is dead, my friends were little more than wandering spirits who have all most likely passed into their next life…all I'd have is Silmeria…_

_He said I have time to think it over…so…I will._

But what came out of her mouth wasn't what she intended. "…does that hurt…?" she spoke softly, gently touching his hand where it was on his chest.

"Not…really. It's just a bit uncomfortable. Like…imagine getting really tense for a probable difficult battle, just how your heart begins to race and you can feel every beat like someone slapping the inside of your chest rapidly."

"You're breathing heavier…faster."

He swallowed and nodded. "Yeah…yeah that's part of it. It's…it's probably because we're kinda fighting each other for dominance over the link. It'd be easier if we were equal but right now my presence is stronger than hers, and she's unconsciously fighting against that. Either she needs to get stronger, or we need to have time to settle the link…let it calm down between us."

"So why not do that now?"

"…because she wants to beat the crap out of me right now. And even if I deserve getting knocked around a little, my own sense of self won't just take it without a fight. She's agitated about something…nervous too."

He actually began to hunch forward slightly. Concerned, though some dark part of her mind rationalized that he was her only way home and that was the only reason why she cared, she stepped closer to him, putting her hand on his back. She gasped. She could _feel_ his heartbeat racing.

Then he froze.

"…oh _fuck._"

"What?"

"_They're_ here…"

"What is?"

"The things. The things I don't know what they are. The things I wanted your help against."

He turned to a specific direction.

"Come on. They're that way."

* * *

Blue hair bobbed in the winds as she ducked beneath the lunging claw swipes of the strange, cat-like monster before her. She'd gotten tagged by one of those crackling blue edges before, and had no desire to repeat the process. Throwing up a quick wall of light, Aqua deflected a ball of orange-red energy that seemed to come from a _trumpet_ of all things.

Whatever these creatures were, they were much tougher than any Unversed she'd fought. The smaller, human looking ones alone were as strong as some of Vanitas' crazier creations. She barely had time to glance back at the others, noting Kairi looked the most winded, while Riku was hurling blue fireball after blue fireball, keeping the smaller, winged heads away from the three non-combatant teenagers that were acting as their guides.

Sora was dashing around, rolling under swings from the bird-men's cross-staves and delivering potshots, small spirals of flame, and blasts of ice whenever he could, but the damage dealt was negligible. So far, they'd only managed to take down a few of the small, winged head monsters, while the cat-like ones kept them on their toes. Even her strongest of spells didn't do anywhere near as much damage as she wanted.

Firing off another blast of frigid cold, she kept the cat one's attention on her, noting its speed was far faster than Kairi would be able to handle, and Riku couldn't really move too much from his position. The strange barrier that seemed to keep both sides from fleeing was up, but that did little to ease her mind. She leaned back, narrowly evading a double overhead claw slash from the pearl-white cat-clawed, avian-headed monster, for once _extremely _glad her breasts weren't any bigger than they already were. Though at the same time she cursed her lack of Armor, let alone _her_ Keyblade which was far more familiar to her than the Master Keeper.

Had she her armor, she could take a few more calculated risks, not having to worry about her flesh being severed by the clearly razor sharp electrical claws. No, she'd just have to worry about the electric part.

* * *

"_Those_ are the things?"

"Yeah. Eesh…they've got some new ones…those smaller bastards are annoying looking."

"So why don't we go help?" Alicia was a little irritated that Seth just wanted to watch from one of the nearby rooftops.

"First off, look closely." She huffed but did.

"And what am I looking for?"

"Don't you feel it?"

She was going to ask what he meant but then realized she _did_ feel something strange. Like a soft buzzing.

"Yes."

"That's a barrier. I don't know how or why, but for some reason a powerful force-field appears whenever something like this happens. I don't know if it's the world, the Keyblade, or both acting in tandem, but it keeps _everything_ inside, inside, until one side is defeated. Even a Dark Corridor can't enter that space, though it can transport you anywhere _inside_ that space if you're already in it. Nothing inside can get out, nothing outside can get in."

She didn't like it, but she understood.

"The second thing is, even if we _could_, they don't trust me. And since they don't trust me, they'll be second-guessing me left and right, even though I know more about fighting these things than they do. So that will just cause problems."

"…you don't trust _them_ either." Alicia pointed out, sensing it from him.

"I trust Kairi. And to an extent, Sora, because he'll listen to her on some things. But I don't know that blue haired woman, and Riku I know doesn't like me at all."

She sighed.

"The _third_ reason…" She blinked incredulously. There was a _third_ now?

"Is that I need to see how Kairi fights. I made a deal with her that I'd train her, but I don't know anything about her fighting style, if she even has one. Seeing her power, or lack of, first hand, will let me know how to proceed."

She nodded again. That made sense.

"tch."

"What?" She asked, turning back to the battle. She missed Seth clutching his chest again.

"Dammit…they're evolving…"

"What?"

"Kill enough of them and they either summon or merge into a big one. See how they're glowing? The smaller ones are going to fuse. I don't know about that clawed one, but I know at least three of those bird-men are going to merge together. The big one is a _pain_."

She worried, while all she could do was watch as his words happened.

* * *

_Oh god…_

Aqua was injured, right arm being held uselessly to her chest. The cat-monster was dead but at the cost of Aqua being unable to fight.

_We're going to die…_

Sora was exhausted, the brunette panting heavily. His physical and magical energy was drained, even as he stared defiantly at the marble baby-faced head of the golden axe wielding giant.

_We're really going to die…_

Riku was useless. His own reserves drained from keeping Hayner, Pence and Olette safe, the three of them clutching each other with their backs to the invisible 'wall'.

_This is it…this is really it…_

Kairi was the least injured of all, though she too was exhausted. The pounding in her chest kicked up again, the Resonance Reaction overcoming her focus, due to her growing fear of death.

Inside, Naminé felt completely worthless. She couldn't do anything at all. Dark Corridors couldn't penetrate this barrier, whatever it was. She would know, she's tried.

"Dang…I hate to say it…but…I think we're done…" Sora spoke, not wanting to give up.

Kairi looked at him. Truly _looked_. This was the guy who put balls to wall for her, the guy her heart sealed itself within…

"Sora…"

"Yeah Kai?"

"I love you."

All of them froze in surprise. Kairi said it in such a no-nonsense tone, complete conviction in her voice.

And it was true. She _loved_ him. Body, Mind, _Heart_ and Soul.

"K-Kairi…I…" The stunned brunette couldn't even form words. Because he _knew_ she was being serious.

**BA-THUMP**

And then something unexpected happened. She lurched forward, clutching her chest. Unseen to her, above, Seth did the same, nearly toppling off of the roof.

Suddenly, a brilliant flare of light erupted from around Kairi's waist. The light caused even the Giant to stumble back, as if being burnt by its rays. When the light faded, a grey belt leading into a buckle with a small glass circle plate embedded within, the shape of a small heart embroidered in what looked like lightly pink tinged silver over the core, had appeared around her waist.

Everyone stared at her, and up above, Seth gave a feral grin.

She felt her heartbeat slow, returning to normal. Her left hand began to glow. Lifting it, she looked at the back of her hand, where a strange, heart shaped symbol, very similar to the one on the belt that just appeared, was shimmering. In the blink of an eye, she was brought back to Valhalla, where she watched Seth call forth a similar belt.

Suddenly a jaunty tune, the sound of a loud, high pitched horn, repeating itself, began to echo.

And she _knew_.

"_**HENSHIN!"**_

Copying Seth, she swung her glowing hand across the core of the buckle.

And a synthetic voice spoke.

_**Valor Form**_

A pulse of brilliant crimson light erupted from the buckle, enveloping Kairi in its grasp before forming a near-bubble around her. The bubble seemed to become solid, before _shattering_ like broken glass, revealing the Princess of Heart standing before them, clothes generally unchanged, but tinged the same color crimson as the light was, and holding _two_ Keyblades. In her right hand, was her personal Keyblade, the Destiny Embrace. In her left…was Sora's Kingdom Key.

The giant roared a challenge at the now suddenly _very powerful_ presence before it, caged in the form of a teenage girl. To everyone's shock, she yelled a challenge _right back at it_, before racing forward faster than anyone had ever seen her move. The giant swung its mighty axe, but the girl just leapt over the swing, jumping higher than anyone expected. She slammed both her Keyblades into its head, before leaning back and kicking off its chin, rocketing towards the ground where she flipped back and landed heavily. It growled in irritation and swung a huge foot at her, but she hopped far to the left, before racing back and hacking away.

It roared in obvious pain, reaching down to grab the girl, who jumped up to evade its meaty fist, before _running _up its arm, stabbing it in the shoulder, and then using that Keyblade as a foothold to jump higher, flipping over where she brought the Kingdom Key to its back, where the crystal was. It _screeched_ in agony, as she called back the Keyblade, before getting blown back by a wave of force accompanying its marble flesh _exploding_ off of its body.

"**Kairi you have to finish it!" **Naminé's voice echoed in her mind. _How?!_ **"Do a Hissatsu!" **_A what?! _**"A Hissatsu! A finishing move!" **_Ok, how do you know what that is and how do I do it anyway?! _**"A small piece of paper appeared here, its explained a little bit about that belt. There's a way to channel its energy into a single strike. You have to cross the trigger along the core again with the intent of putting a **_**crapload**_** of power into the next attack!"**

_Cross the trigger…_ She realized Naminé was talking about her left hand. She looked down, and noticed it was still glowing. Bringing it along the core, the same way as before, she blinked in surprise as it glowed again, and the voice from before spoke.

_**Full Charge**_

She stared in amazement as crimson energy began crackling around the core, gathering to the center of the heart symbol. _Ok…what now?_ **"I don't know! All it says is that the Hissatsu will be formed by your Imagination!"** _The heck's that supposed to mean?!_

"Kairi!" Sora yelled.

She glanced back, as the giant stomped towards her.

"Go like this!" he crossed his arms in front of his face. She blinked, barely understanding, but crossed the Keyblades before her. To her surprise, the energy gathered at the core of her belt, traveled along her waist, up both her arms where it enveloped both Keyblades in crackling power.

"**Now come up with a name!" **_What?! _**"The paper says that the Hissatsu works by focusing the mind on an image! It's easiest to do that by giving a name to the attack!"**

She hesitated, seeing the Giant approaching. And then it hit her. Without wasting another moment, she drew the twin Keyblades apart, before twirling them both once in hand, and then crossing her arms.

"_**TWIN RAVE!"**_

The girl shouted her final attack, slashing both Keyblades in an X formation, a literal X shape of energy ripping from where she slashed, crashing into the Giant who roared in agony as the power invaded its body, before it seemed to shudder violently. It dropped to its knees, and then _exploded_ in a violent display of energy.

The forcefield shimmered and dissipated, as Kairi's body glowed, before the crimson light shattered gently, second Keyblade vanishing, her clothes returning to normal. She dropped to her knees as the others shambled over to her.

"Kairi! Are you ok?" Sora pushed the girl. She just stared ahead. And then suddenly she spoke.

"…side effects include elation…positive hysteria…exhaustion…" The girl mumbled, just clear enough to be heard. They all looked at one another.

"…and the feeling of being _extremely useful_…" the last was said with a brilliant smile, and joy dancing in her eyes.

* * *

"…not bad Red…not bad at all…" Seth spoke softly, smiling just as brilliantly as Kairi.

"Seth…?"

"C'mon Alicia. Let's move. They won't be following us, even if somehow they figured out where we're going."

"And where is it we're going?"

"We, my dear…are going to the World that Never Was."

* * *

**A/N: **And here we have it. Kairi has access to Valor Form. Will that be all? Well, you'll have to wait and see.

Here we see further deviation from the original plot. Alicia is less trusting of Seth, Xion is now in existence as a concept, and potentially as a Real thing, and Mickey isnt portrayed as an asshole. Just someone who went a little too far in trying to get answers. Minnie is also introduced as extremely knowledgeble about unusual concepts. I imagine she's the true brains behind their relationship.

We learn that Seth can communicate with and interact with Xion in whatever space she exists, we learn that he can summon at least one Shadow heartless, the very same one that attacked him during his Awakening. Also you readers get to see a little more on my take of how things can work in the KH universe. Xion has a name, though most will still just call her Xion. To continue with the lame latin trend of naming, her surname, Memoria, means Memory. So her name is literally "Memory of Ino". It's fitting.

Not much left to say. The story is writing itself right now, practically. I hope you like long chapters, because the next one has ALOT of shit happening.


	5. Learning to Trust

Xion rubbed her eyes and yawned, stretching to work the kinks in her muscles. It had taken her a while, but she'd learned that because of the lack of logic in this strange world, she could simply 'want' to be somewhere, open a door, and be wherever she wanted. Thus, she found a faster way of getting around this strange reality than just walking from border to border.

You see, originally the way she got around was by way of what she called 'borders'. This strange reality was comprised of many places she'd gone to before in her short lifetime. And they all linked together. Twilight Town linked into The World that Never Was by way of the clocktower. Going far enough through the trees led to one of the many forests of Wonderland, where one of the paintings in the Mad Hatter's garden led to Agrabah, which led to one going into Beasts Castle if they opened the castle doors. Other places were connected as well, but she'd only gone to a few places. Thanks to her new understanding, however, she could bypass the connecting borders.

A part of her wondered, if this was due to Seth's influence. Before, she never questioned too deeply the nature of this reality, while he questioned everything.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts, then blinked at the new objects that had been set in front of her. Placed next to the computer console she had been working on, was a small cooler, a plate of plastic covered sandwiches, a small bottle of what looked like some fizzy water of sorts, a note and a weird looking 'h' shaped trinket on the cooler. She leaned down and picked up the note.

_Hey._

_Sorry I couldn't see you again, I'm only here for a little bit. I kinda had to have Alicia knock me out in order to get here. We're gonna head into the Castle tomorrow, to start looking for proof. You'd like Alicia, she's nice. Dunno if she'll stick around though. It's up to her. Anyway, I grabbed you a few things from in the town. I dunno if you need to eat at all, or if you ever did in the first place, but I figure from what you said about the ice cream you at least liked the taste of food. Anyway, the sandwiches should be good for a little while, you can always put them in the cooler to make them last longer. Don't try to inhale the water-looking stuff, its seltzer, thus, fizzy as fuck so it'll mess with your throat if you try to chug it without being used to it._

_By the way, don't ask about the whole "grabbed things for you in town" bit. I have __**no **__idea how I managed to bring them through with me. Maybe it was some sort of mental creation? Alicia got a good laugh after she made me realize that if I was going into some place that I went to only through my mind, what the hell was the point of making __**physical**__ sandwiches? Well, if they're not there when I wake up then joke's on her innit? Anyway, that last thing…well, you'll see what it is. Just hold it tight for a second or two. I call it "Silent Sorrow". I think it fits._

_Anyway, enjoy, and try not to sit around on the PC too much yeah? We don't want you losing that cute figure of yours do we?_

_-Seth_

She flushed once or twice, an odd fluttering in her chest when she read the note. It was only a couple meetings, but from what she learned, this was _so very_ like him. Placing the note in one of the pockets of the jacket he gave her – that she _still_ wore, instead of her old, now _very well cleaned_ cloak – she lifted the plate of sandwiches and opened the cooler. Her eyes watered as she saw what was inside.

A bunch of sea-salt ice cream, from Twilight Town. The very same treat she, Roxas and Axel once shared.

She resolved to give him a _big_ hug for that.

Pushing back the tears of nostalgia, she picked up the strange h shaped crest and held it as instructed. To her surprise, it glowed with a soft violet light, before growing. When the light faded, she was holding the hilt of a weapon, about the length of her arm, violet shaft engraved with black vine-like patterns, leading into a silver, flattened crescent shape looking to be the edge of some sort of blade. Just above the odd flat crescent was a strange slightly angled protrusion making the two combined look like some sort of hook, or claw. Looking at it, and feeling the familiar weight, she realized what it was.

He'd given her, a _keychain _of all things. A _significant_ manifestation of the link between people. When held by a bearer of the Keyblade, it formed an entirely new weapon.

_This_ time, she let the tears flow, as she smiled.

* * *

"So…Valor Form huh?" Mickey asked Kairi.

After failing to find Seth in town, punctured repeatedly by Kairi's insistence that he wasn't there anyway, the group had returned to Disney Castle to inform the King and Queen of the new development, as well as the strange new enemy they faced. As strong as an individual Organization member, twice as ugly, and extremely hard to kill. They'd just finished updating the King and Queen in the royal gardens, about Kairi's sudden new power.

"Yes, your Majesty." Kairi replied, but Mickey waved her off. "Just call me Mickey, it's faster." He said with a grin.

Kairi nodded.

"Isn't that one of _your_ powers there, Sora?"

"Yeah…I don't know how she could have gotten it…especially since I thought it was the clothes that let me do it…"

"I don't believe so." Minnie spoke. "I believe all that your clothes did was add some magical protection to you, and help draw out your latent powers. Your powers seemed to be based off of your friends' abilities, and considering you and Kairi once linked…"

"Yes, but Kairi and Sora linked _before_ Sora gained his Drive forms." Riku pointed out.

"It's the belt." Kairi said softly. They turned to her.

"This belt…this is a similar belt as to what _he _has. The belt must have been the 'fragment of my heart's power' that he was talking about. The belt itself came from him…the power…came from my link to Sora." She said.

"How do you know?" Minnie asked, very interested.

"Seth…apparently left some sort of note in my mind. Naminé was telling me a few things during the fight. How to activate it, how to do the Hissatsu. She said there was something on the back of the note. Saying that the belt is from him, but its powers are mine. They're formed from my 'imagination', and fueled by my heart. That's how his armor was made. He received the buckle while in a void filled with stained glass platforms (to this, Sora and Mickey stood up straighter, knowing what that was) after rejecting the pathway a disembodied voice tried to lay out for him. There, he had to fight a heartless, which at the time he thought was a 'hollow' and he awakened the belt's power by imagining a form the armor would take."

"A void of stained glass…? That explains how he's got a Keyblade…" Mickey spoke softly.

"Mickey?" His wife pressed.

"That void seems to appear to those who awaken the Keyblade from deep within their hearts. Master Yen Sid told me about it, and I know _you_ mentioned it in passing at one point, Sora." Sora nodded. "Seems to be similar to some sort of testing ground of the heart, connected to some ancient power source, where a person chooses their path."

"Path of the Warrior, path of the Mage, path of the Defender." Sora piped up, nodding. Mickey returned it.

"Yes. But you say…he rejected those?" the mouse-man asked.

Kairi nodded, then winced and placed a hand to the bridge of her nose. She didn't tell anyone, but the second time they linked, she grabbed a mental handful of jumbled information. She knew no meditative techniques to steady one's mind and dive into the sea of thoughts, so they were still random, and chaotic. Which is why when she had knowledge of pertinent information, it tended to _sear_ its way into the front of her mind. This time however, she was _pushing_ for the knowledge.

"…Y-yes…he…wasn't satisfied with the Voice's choices. Choose one, relinquish another. It…gave…personality traits…not just power. He didn't like the thought…of power that could…mess with his way of thinking. He was going to…to turn his back on the whole thing…but the voice…gave him a _fourth_ option." She shook her head to try to dispel the buzzing that arose as she did a partial dive, not knowing that Naminé was assisting her as well.

"And that was the belt?" Mickey asked.

"_**Power of the Dreamer…The sign of one who follows their Heart…Armor, to protect that which you cherish…**_" Her voice suddenly got deeper, _stronger_. As if for a brief moment, it wasn't her speaking, but someone else.

"Kairi…?" Sora was hesitant, not knowing what just happened to the girl.

She shook her head again blinking rapidly. Her pupils were wide, eyes looking quite disturbing for a few moments. "…I…I felt…_**power**_. F-for…for a moment…it felt like…like I was drowning…in a sea of _power_…" she spoke breathlessly.

"Kairi…your voice changed for a second…"

"…yes…" she nodded absently, still staring into space. "Yes…that…is to be expected. I touched…something…no…some_one_…far beyond mortal comprehension…"

"…I think we found the Voice then…" Aqua muttered.

Kairi nodded frantically. "Yes! The power felt like the voice he heard…Old…_Familiar_…known by the heart but unknown by the mind. Whatever that power was…it _knows_ him…and now…it _knows_ me as well…I touched…**Existence**..."

"Is…that…a good thing…?" Sora asked hesitantly.

"I…I don't know…" Kairi seemed to calm down. "I think…I think we're dealing with something that's been around longer than _any_ of us. Longer than our civilizations even. That power I touched…even if it was just for a brief moment…it felt _ancient_. If that's the voice that _he_ heard…then we're _both_ wielding something far older than we thought."

"That would also explain how it was able to draw out one of Sora's forms, only for you." Riku stated. But again, as was happening usual, Kairi shook her head.

"No…no that power was merely what shaped _his_ belt, from his heart, since he didn't know how to do it himself until after he put it on. Sora's power being my own…that was _my _doing…because Sora makes me feel safe." She stated calmly.

Sora of course, not used to _that_ kind of affection, blushed.

"K-kairi…"

"It's the truth. And it's why my heart copied his power, even though I saw it all of once. My heart, and his heart, even though it's not as powerful currently as the one between Seth and I, are connected. My heart drew on _his_, to create power that would keep me safe, because _he_ makes me feel safe."

Mickey's eyes widened. "Wait…didn't you say it didn't appear until you told Sora you loved him?!"

Kairi nodded, starting to understand where the King was coming from. "Yes. And…because I confirmed…in my own heart that it was _Sora_ who made me feel safe, my Imagination took that image of Sora, and overlapped it with myself. That materialized the belt, drawn out from Seth's power, but gave me access to Sora's Valor Form, because of my link with Sora."

"Or…" Mickey said, actually thinking deeply about this. "…or…Seth planned for something like this…"

"How would he-

"…he _did!_" Kairi exclaimed, cutting off Riku. "The way he emphasized that it would be _me_ who controls what form the power would take, meant that in the end, I would choose who or what made me feel safe, gave me courage, gave me _strength_, and that would be my base of power for my Imagination to take and mould into a form! Seth gave me the power to materialize the belt, but what power the _belt_ would give me was entirely up to me!"

"And that explains why it didn't show up until you confirmed to yourself that it was Sora who made you feel safe, by confirming to yourself, as well as him, that you loved him." Minnie spoke, catching on.

Mickey nodded. "If it was just _power_, it woulda shown up when your life was in danger. But its power of the _heart_, meaning it takes more than just a close call to wake it up."

Kairi nodded, then stood, stretching.

"Well, it's a good thing we got that figured out. Now I just have to tra-

**BA-THUMP**

"Guh!"

Suddenly she dropped to her knees.

"Kairi!"

**"Kairi? Kairi! What the heck…"**

**BA-THUMP**

A sharp intake of air. Her vision began blurring.

Then came the burning feeling. As if her skin was being slowly seared by the scorching sun. She didn't see it, for she was focused on the fact that it _really looked like the sky had turned night_, but her arms were beginning to blister, and turn red, as if she were standing in fire.

"Kairi!" Sora grabbed her arm, the one that was beginning to become raw from an unseen flame, and she screamed in pain, before her hair fluttered wildly, her eyes shimmered a brief but bright grey and a semi-visible wave of literal _force_ ripped from her body, blowing him backward.

Then she started grunting.

"She's…she's hurt…and my field…I can block the fire but…it doesn't do _shit_ against the heat…"

"Kairi…?" Aqua pushed, the Master Keeper appearing in hand.

"But…what can I do…?" the redhead spoke softly, staring blankly, clutching herself tightly. "This…stupid _bitch_ is stronger than I imagined…even my armor wasn't enough…Alicia's still weak from the resurrection…and I can't _Touhou_ her shit without leaving her open…"

Suddenly she gave a pained grin. "Kinda hard to graze _fire_ anyway…I…I need…something…shit…_why_ didn't I push myself to train? Oh…that's right…I'm trying to get all this done in a short period of time…"

"Kairi wha-

"Riku…wait." Mickey stood before the dark teenager.

"It's a different form of Resonance Reaction." Minnie spoke, in awe. "It's _extremely _rare…it's called a **Synchronicity Chain**. They're _very_ rare and powerful…but…" Now Minnie frowned. "They're only supposed to happen between people with like hearts…could it be that Seth's will is so powerful that he's unconsciously forcing a connection between them…even at this distance…?"

"Dammit…I don't want her hurt more…I should have listened to her and asked Red and her little fuckbuddy to help out…"

Sora came out from the bushes he was thrown into, shaking his head and had a slight blush on his face from Kairi's spoken words. He didn't miss the tear that slid down Kairi's face, the sheer _agony _in her eyes…but the question was…_who's _pain was it?

"If…there's anyone…_anyone_…who could do this…it would be Sis…"

"Sis…_Revan…_I need you…I need…_help_."

And then she **screamed**.

* * *

_Y'know…why is it that trying to __**reason**__ with people never fucking works?_

A bolt of lightning was dodged by rolling to the side.

_I mean, I tell this bitch 'nah, we're not here to __**take**__ the castle, we just gotta look around a bit, see if we can find what we're looking for and then we'll be outta your hair' but noooo. Stupid ugly __**cunt!**_

A quick pulse of gravitational pressure and a massive boulder about to crash into Alicia is shattered. Instead, she cringes and covers her head as she's pelted with smaller stones and dust.

_Is this what it's going to be like? Is this Fate getting in the way, trying to keep me from restoring Xion to this world?_

With a grunt, he caught a ball of energy in his field, barely stopping it from slamming into him, before thrusting his arms out and throwing it back with twice the force.

…_well too bad. I'm still gonna do it. I promised. And I keep my promises._

A cry of pain. Distraction. Something slammed into his chest, throwing him backward. Cold.

"Foolish boy! Behold the power of one who steeps in Darkness! Burn in the fires of hell for eternity!"

Reaching overhead, a bubble of gravitational pressure ripped from his body, surrounding the injured Alicia, and himself. The great blaze of emerald fire ripped from Maleficent's staff, engulfing the barrier, but not touching either of its occupants. However, though the flames themselves couldn't harm them, the heat could. And slowly, they were being cooked. Alicia curled into herself, trying to keep from being anywhere near the flames. Seth could do naught but weather the heat, as it was he who kept them from becoming ash.

Maleficent's presence was unexpected. He searched the copied memories he'd gotten from Kairi, and they all suggested that the dark witch had been slain, thrice over. He tried to be diplomatic, figuring that even though she was a nuisance, they had no real problem with her existence, as they were outsiders to any original conflicts she was part of. But the dark witch would not heed them, refused to believe it was as simple as just looking at a few areas and then leaving. She attacked, and easily overwhelmed the two.

Alicia was still recovering from being _dead_ for so long, her muscles not quite up to snuff when it came to combat, her reflexes slower than they should have been, much to her frustration. Seth had commented that it probably didn't help that she died in a much _bigger_ body, and now had to contend with a smaller, slimmer frame compared to what she was most recently fighting in.

Seth alone could probably have taken Maleficent down, under the right circumstances. A quick Henshin and some crazy dodging skills and _maybe_ he could end her in a few minutes. Maybe. But with Alicia around, he had to keep her safe for the time being, for she needed time to recover, and regain her skills in battle. Until then, while strong in her own right, she was more a liability than a boon. He couldn't attack, because he was needed to defend. And while normally that sat well with him, considering it was just the two of them, and he was needed to do both offensive and defensive maneuvers…

But now, he was stuck. And unconsciously linking with Kairi, as he dug deep into himself to try to _maybe_ block _some_ of the heat. As it was he could feel his arms beginning to sear. It hurt…but he had to keep it up. Or else they'd both be dead.

_If there's anyone…__**anyone**__ who could stand up to this bitch…it would be Sis…_

Images of a dual-hair colored girl appeared in his mind. Just shorter than him, but bigger, body and spirit. She was powerful, the physically strongest of the four traveling friends. His sister in all but blood. Her control over all things _fire_ was impossible. Even moreso once her Keyblade appeared. But she never strayed. Her loyalty was to her brother and her brother alone.

* * *

In the shimmering green flames, Alicia could barely make out the tears running freely down his face, even as he kept a focused frown. She knew it was partially her fault that they were in this situation, even though he didn't blame her at all. _"I brought you back and then took you to a potentially hostile location in too short a time. I should have let you rest more, train a bit…I've been rushing things."_

She cursed to herself. Cursed her weakness, cursed Fate, cursed _everything_. She never asked to die, though she had accepted her end. But she thought that it would be her final rest. It wasn't. Thanks to this budding mage, currently holding back the emerald flames from simply ashing both of them, she lived again. And she lived because he had a use for her. Yet…unlike others, he was giving her choice. Choice to continue to follow him, or to return home. He brought her back for his own designs, but was willing to let her be.

And now, he was hurting…no…_killing_ himself…to keep her alive. She had magic of her own. But her spells were weak, and took time to cast. The few offensive spells she held would have been easily countered by this mage they were up against, and what healing she knew how to do took too long to be of any use. Maybe if her first instinct was to start casting upon injury, then she could have gotten one off, at least on herself, to try to pull him away from the flames, or distract the witch in some way. But no…she usually left the healing up to others. Then again, she was usually _faster_ than this, and had at least either one other sword, or some covering fire from a nearby archer.

They had nothing…only each other. And her weakness, her lack of spells, and her lack of trust in him, held them both back.

_He would probably state that my mistrust of him was justified. We __**did**__ get off to a bad start, after all. Though I wasn't expecting him to __**care**__ so much for my wellbeing. People who wield others like tools usually don't tend to care like that. Makes the tools easier to discard. …but what if for him, I wasn't a tool? Ineffective as it may have been against this mage, I've seen his power in action. I know I wouldn't have stood a chance…he was right. If it was his wish to take for himself, my body, I wouldn't have been able to stop him. A shameless pervert he may be, but he is no rapist. I've known sailors to be less honorable than he._

_If we make it out of this alive…I must strive better to trust him. He did me a favor by bringing me back, though he had a reason outside of just kindness to do so. And…is there truly a point to me going home? The only one who would welcome me would likely be Silmeria…none of the others save for the restored Einherjar would remember me…if they even are still alive. There is nothing for me there…_

_Damn…if only I could do something other than cower behind his protections! Damn this! Should we survive this…I must train._

A sudden yell of rage, pain and desperation filled her ears. Her thoughts halted as she saw Seth screaming towards the heavens, one final act of defiance. She felt…sadness…that a warrior such as him would meet his end here.

And then the wave hit her.

* * *

Sora rolled out of the way of a tendril of violet flame, lancing towards his location.

After the sudden _agonized_ scream ripped from Kairi's throat, a Keyblade had suddenly appeared before her. And a literal _wall_ of force raced from her body. Everyone was blown backwards by the unexpected power unleashed from the Princess of Heart. But the worst came when she grabbed that Keyblade. A Keyblade that they _knew_ belonged to the unknown man by the name of **Seth**.

Once she grasped it, a veil of _fire_ surrounded the girl, spiraling around like vines.

And Kairi _attacked_.

Good _lord_ did she attack.

Her eyes glazed over with an insane glint, mouth twisted in a feral grin, body _glowing_ with power…streaks of blood red tracing themselves along her form, as if her veins were being illuminated by her own blood. Riku called out to her, trying to calm her down, but all he got in return was a blast of _black_ flame to his face. Sora had to admit to himself. Despite the fact that she was clearly not herself…

_Damn Kairi looks hot like that…_

They couldn't get close either. Whenever one of them did, they would be repelled by an invisible wall of force, with each denial feeling like a freight train were slamming into them. That's _if _they weren't just burnt by the flames surrounding her.

"_**Come on bitch! Is that all you got?! What happened to burning us in the fires of hell for eternity?!"**_

There was also that. Her voice…seemed to be overlapped with that of a man. And he was clearly talking to someone. But was it them…or someone else? Sora watched as Mickey grabbed Minnie and jumped out of the way of a literal ball of black fire.

"_**What now, whore?! Not so big and bad anymore are you?! You should have just listened to us you stupid cunt!"**_

Aqua could do naught but throw up a barrier wall of protection to reduce the impact of the sudden _double sweep _of fire that ripped for her location. Unfortunately she forgot to anchor it to the ground, and was sent flying into a nearby hedge, which was immediately lit ablaze by the _long_ as hell trail of flame. As retaliation, Riku launched a small salvo of blue and white fireballs at the girl.

She just grinned.

"_**Magical fire is still fire, shitstain!"**_

The blue-white fireballs of the 'Dark Firaga' were absorbed into the field around her, and immediately spat back out, twice the size, and triple the speed. Riku had no time to defend as suddenly he was forced to scream in burning agony as his own attack, an attempt to maybe cancel out her flames with those of another source, was reversed upon him.

Her grin just got wider.

And then she punched the ground. The burnt grass and dirt seemed to ripple before it exploded outwards, launching into the sky in massive chunks. As the magical fires faded from Riku, the boy lay panting, staring at the spectacle.

Now she _smiled_.

_I have the __**weirdest**__ boner right now._ Sora thought to himself.

She rose her left hand into the air, smile growing wider. A ring of light appeared around her wrist, before it shot into the air, expanding open like some sort of gateway. Lines of light came from the center of the ring, turning into an upside-down triangle. From the tips of the triangle formed three more triangles. Sora looked at it in confusion, before tilting his head.

"Is that…a _hazard_ sign…?"

Another ring of light appeared around the collection of triangles, this one looking as if it were made of many small symbols, letters possibly. Minnie's eyes widened as she gasped in horror.

"A _GLYPH!_"

"What's a Glyph?!" Riku barely croaked out.

"A magical symbol that usually precedes a wide-area effect!"

And she was right. The strange twisting flames around Kairi's body flared, before growing out, lashing to the still suspended chunks of dirt, grass, stone and gravel. Suddenly they were all alight with black fire.

"Oh this can't be good…" Aqua mumbled, gripping the Master Keeper tightly.

It wasn't.

"_**Armageddon."**_

* * *

What power!

She had them defeated just moments ago, and then suddenly the boy called a Keyblade of all things! Not only that, but the moment he touched it, all the fire around them seemed to be _absorbed_ into his body! And now the _sky was raining fire_. Nothing she did worked anymore! Most of her spells were flame or darkness by nature, and what few ice spells she knew were completely ineffective!

Even throwing massive boulders conjured from the depths of space itself did nothing, he just blasted them apart and then peppered the sky with them, where that strange glyph of his would set them alight and hurl them back to the ground!

Armageddon indeed.

And then there were the taunts! She didn't know half the words he called her but she could do nothing but weather the insults. She was dominating…and now she was on the receiving end. It must have been that damned Keyblade! She had to retreat. Back to the castle.

But he must have been some form of mind-reader. For the moment she pooled her power to flee, he lashed out with his hand and suddenly her _arm _was broken!

"You caint run! You _caint _run!"

The fire around her receded.

"Silly bitch don't you know who ah am? You must not know who ah am."

And then they came back. Burning her. She screamed. And then the scream of pain became one of _fear_ as suddenly she was _ripped_ from her position by an impossible force. She could do nothing but flail helplessly as he pulled his fist back, manic grin on his face.

"I'm da Juggernaut, _**BITCH!**_"

* * *

Minnie was out for the count. Kairi had knocked her out with that punch. Either that or the fact that the Queen nearly went _splat_ on the castle wall. Sora and the others rushed to her side, Mickey immediately beginning repeated cures, Donald throwing low-grade Ice spells over the Queen's face, which was covered in burns. They didn't even wince as the sound of explosions, the echoes of destruction created by the Armageddon spell, signified things still blasting the castle walls.

But something tickled the back of Sora's mind. And he turned.

"Uhh…that…doesn't look good."

And the others turned.

Kairi was beginning to rise, tendrils of black flame reaching in front of her, gathering together in the shape of a spiraling orb.

And then she spoke.

"_**Uragiri kara umareta nikushimi no honō de moeru…"**_

* * *

What amazing destructive power! She'd never _seen_ such a thing before! And she went up against a **God**! Two of them in fact! Valeth's Meteor Swarm was a single massive cosmic stone but this…this was _thousands_ of smaller fragments being hurled in random locations, to keep _anyone_ from escaping! And those flames! She'd _never _seen a _black_ flame before!

And what was he _saying_? What _language_ was that?

"_**Ikari ga kudaka re no tamashī o shuchō-yō ni mu o saiyō…"**_

The spiraling orb grew, pulsing like that of a heartbeat. The red lines trailing along Seth's body seemed to invert. Before, they were coming from where his heart was, and extending along his veins outwards. Now, they were coming from outside, going in. The flaming stones summoned by the Armageddon began to spiral around Seth, tendrils of dark flame lancing out and _shattering_ them, before they were absorbed into the growing ball of fire.

* * *

Such _pressure!_ The moment she started chanting, they could barely stand! It was as if she was forcing them to their knees, making them _bow_ of all things!

"_**Kura no megami akui ni michita shisen o no mae ni kudakeru…"**_

The ball seemed to give one final pulse, before _shrinking_. Behind her, a ring of grey light expanded outwards, shattering into what looked like lettering again. They saw another light begin to form, within the ring. And in their minds, they knew…this was it.

* * *

She couldn't move. The punch alone nearly separated her head from her shoulders. Not once in her existence had she faced someone so _devastatingly powerful_. All of those she had consorted with to attain Kingdom Hearts were powerful enough in their own right, but none could compare to her. To be defeated…first by that annoying girl, then the boy with the Keyblade…and now…someone wielding power far beyond even _her_ comprehension.

Last time she revived because of an ancient ritual she performed, to shelve a fragment of her existence inside an animal. She never got the chance to perform that ritual this time around.

"_**Chūi o toru, anata no tamashī ni kanojo no namae o kizan de…"**_

Whatever strange language he was chanting in…to create something so _powerful_…

The light within the ring became the shape of flame, a single massive sword seeming to crash down right in the center. Another glyph.

To her mild amusement…the one thought running through her mind, as she witnessed the black sphere of dark flame shrink to the point of a pinprick, now able to see the strange, fire shaped Keyblade spinning and rotating wildly, was not of her failure…

…_I wonder if they'll let that fool Pete live…_

* * *

The sound of keys being tapped by a rapid set of fingers.

In her mouth, between her teeth, was a wooden stick, the word "WINNER" printed on the edge.

Suddenly she stopped. Her head snapped up, bob of black hair swaying. Slowly, she stood, turning to the entrance of the room. She gazed blankly, an unknown rushing going through her heart.

Unseen…even by her…

A wave of red lines began to race along the veins of Xion's body.

Her mouth opened, face being coated in repeated flowing streaks of red, streaming along like beats of a heart.

The Winner Stick dropped out of her mouth.

"_**Last…Word…"**_

* * *

Everything got silent.

No sound from the explosions. No screaming from the Castle's occupants. Not the sound of their breaths. Not even the sound of their heartbeats. No wind was heard. No voices.

Complete.

Silence.

"_**Amaterasu."**_

And then the little black pinprick exploded.

**Kingdom Hearts RE: Order**

_**Chapter IV: Learning to Trust**_

_He's breathing a lot better now…_

Alicia sat on a small chair, leafing through multiple sheets of paper, far different from what she was used to. Her eyes constantly strayed over to her black haired companion, sleeping on a large, plain looking white bed. Her clothing was completely _ruined_ by his final attack, the girl just narrowly escaping being turned to ash by forcing herself up and jumping through a nearby store window, blown out from the burst of force that preceded the blast of black fire. As it was, at the time, she'd suffered minor burns on her back and legs, but her jacket and skirt were fried to ashy tatters in _moments_.

Hell she had to chop off some of her hair that had crumpled and burnt from the narrow evasion. Not much, but it was definitely shorter than before. The new clothes she was wearing – a tight, small red tank top with a thin black leather jacket over it, short, checker patterned skirt with black lace trim at the bottom, and black stockings to at least attempt to provide _some_ warmth for her legs in the perpetual night of this unusual world – were still taking some getting used to. Especially since she hadn't yet found anything to strap her sword to. She'd preferred something a little more…well…covering, but apparently that was the only clothing store in that area, and she had found herself to be lucky enough to find even _that_ much.

Looking back over at Seth, who was sleeping softly – if still looking a little tense - unlike before then, where he'd slept for three days straight, sounding haggard and almost wheezing, she recalled just how she found herself rummaging through random papers…

* * *

_**Slowly, they walked up the castle ramp. The few Nobodies that had appeared were destroyed in short order by a small horde of Neo Shadows, led by Miri. They trudged further into the castle, Seth leaning on Alicia for support, his breathing heavy, body feeling like lead. And then they encountered…**_**him**_**.**_

"_**Heh-heh, whoa there. You don't look so good boyo. But yer not supposed t'be here y'see. Now, ol Pete's a good guy, so he'll letcha scram while y'can. Y'wouldn't want ol' Maleficent to realize yer here now would ya?"**_

_**Alicia just stared blankly at the…person…before them. It was, what looked like a bi-pedal bulldog that had eaten one too many treats. It spoke like a human…but was most definitely an animal. It was dressed as well in the most **_**ridiculous**_** bodysuit she'd ever seen.**_

"_**You…are…Pete…?" Seth spoke, rasping.**_

"_**Yep. Maleficent's right-hand." The dog-man-thing responded, proud.**_

"…_**Miri…confine."**_

_**And in the blink of an eye, the Shadow heartless jumped from Seth's shadow, leaping onto Pete's face, who flailed wildly. Seconds later, a group of Neo-Shadows appeared and bound the dog-man's arms and legs, while to Pete's horror, of all things, an **_**Invisible**_** appeared, holding its sword under the gibbering dog-man's chin.**_

"_**Wh-wh-whoa there partner! Wh-whaddya think yer doin?"**_

"…_**you'll do."**_

"_**I'll do? I'll do what?"**_

"…_**die."**_

_**Alicia's head snapped to Seth in pure shock, as the boy rose his left arm, shakily. In a flash, there was a small ring of light around his wrist, one that slowly expanded, and yet somehow seemed to be rotating. Within the ring formed three lines, that created an upside-down triangle. From the tips of those triangles formed three more triangles. Slowly, the triangles stopped rotating around his wrist, but after that, **_**three more**_** triangles appeared, in the empty spaces between the outer triangles of the hazard-like symbol. A ring of small letters appeared around the entire glyph.**_

"_**Wait, wha-**_

_**The three outer triangles of the hazard-like crest flared an angry black, as the center triangle turned red. Tendrils of dark energy ripped from their rippling surfaces, racing towards, and slamming into the body of, the dog-man Pete. He roared in agony, thrashing and flailing as he felt **_**something**_** being drained from his very being. Suddenly, the black triangles ceased their glow, and the inner three triangles began to shimmer a brilliant soothing white. Something incomprehensible ripped from Pete's body, fragments of life and energy, all being sucked into the glyph, which then flared a dark grey, before shattering, surrounding Seth's body with its energies.**_

_**Pete had slumped, in the grip of the Neo Shadows, his breaths coming out in agonized, raspy pants.**_

_**Seth, on the other hand, stood taller, removing his arm from Alicia's shoulders. He still looked tired, but no longer did he look like he was at the edge of Death.**_

"_**Miri. Finish it."**_

_**The small Shadow nodded, before diving forward and **_**tearing**_** into Pete's body. A dark bubbling mass – not blood though, but something else, something…different – begun to spill from orifices connected to Pete's body. And then, Miri pulled back, in its grasp a dimly glowing pink object. It looked like a jagged crystal in the shape of a twinkling star encased in a slightly larger shell in the shape of a heart.**_

"_**That, Alicia…is a Heart."**_

_**Alicia just stared at Seth in shock, and then watched with horrified fascination as Miri opened its maw wide, and swallowed the Heart whole. Pete's body began to disintegrate into black and violet wisps…in its place forming a Darkball Heartless.**_

"_**Come. With him gone, we can proceed in peace."**_

* * *

That was yesterday. The glyph he'd formed, apparently was of a dual nature. It combined the powers of Destruction and Creation to create a draining effect. What it did was that it painted a target, and attacked it through conceptual force, ripping away at its life energy. That was the Destruction. The glyph then converted that pure energy into a wavelength that could be used to recover wounds, restore injuries, and the like. That was the _Creation_.

It was a dangerous and powerful spell that was known only to four people. And of those four, he was the last alive. During its conception, he and his cohorts had tried to tailor the effects of the spell, create varying power levels and the like. Why drain someone completely if all you needed was a small boost? But the spell was too powerful to be reduced in strength. It would always drain a target to near death, if they were human or animal, and drain it completely if it was plant or other life.

"_We didn't have time to figure out the theory behind that, though we all had our thoughts on it. It's not something we use lightly…especially since it __**can**__ easily kill. We can't make it weaker…but we found we could make it __**stronger**__."_

What happened after that, was him removing Pete as an obstacle completely.

"_Pete…was an idiot. And an asshole. He was incompetent, but he was pretty much a bad person, from the start. He was the reason why that witch was still alive after Sora defeated her the first time, and then a second time after. Pete would go around polluting worlds with Emblems, and generally doing things to get in the way of Sora and his friends. He didn't care what happened to the worlds at all, nor how many people died or became heartless due to his actions. He caused a lot of problems, and almost led to the destruction of many worlds. So he needed to go anyway. My spell drained him a lot, but he could have recovered, given time. Considering his track record, letting him live wouldn't be a good idea. So I had Miri pluck his Heart, which alone would turn him into a heartless. But by eating it, she absorbed it into herself. So now he can't return, even if he somehow managed to make a Nobody."_

"_But you said that even if the heartless consume the heart of a world, if a bright enough force of Light is radiated, like from Kingdom Hearts, the worlds can return. Same with the people."_

"_Yes…but for some reason Miri is different. I can't explain it, I just know. If She eats someone's heart, they aren't coming back, no matter what. At the moment I can't be assed to care why."_

So now, Alicia saw, first hand, just how crazy Seth could become…as well as his apathy for people in general. _'I hate people' he says. Its persons, that matter to him. Individuals, in the sea of the many. And all this…is to try to help one of those individuals._

He didn't tell her much, claiming that he wasn't sure if her knowing the full truth would screw anything up or not. _"Hell I don't even know if __**me**__ knowing screws this up…and as much as I'd like __**more **__people to know about it, I don't know if that'll help, hinder, or do nothing. I mean theoretically it should __**help**__ if anything but I can't take that chance."_ But he told her that he wanted to come here to look for proof of _something_.

"_I need your help looking through a lot of these files. I'm looking for anything that mentions a replica __**not **__involved with a place called Castle Oblivion. Or anything that mentions No. i."_

She sighed. She'd been looking through those papers for hours. Yawning to herself, she stood and stretched slightly, working the kinks in her muscles.

_Actually I'm pretty tired myself…but…I don't know my way around this place._ She frowned. _And he's on the only bed…even…even though it __**does**__ look big enough for the two of us…_

She flushed slightly. _Oh what am I thinking? I can't just…_

…_ugh…y'know he'd probably do it without a second thought._

She shook her head, trying to dispel the traitorous thoughts. But as she thought about it…she realized, she _really_ needed the rest. And the floor would _not_ help her get back into fighting shape.

So, quietly, she stepped over to the bed sitting on it gently so not to disturb him. It didn't work. He shuffled, rolling onto his back, right arm splayed out. She pouted, not wanting to have changed his position, but it couldn't be helped.

_There's nothing perverted going on at all about this. I just need the sleep. And he's practically unconscious anyway._

Thus, with that thought in her head, she laid down. The moment she did though, she realized she was laying _on his arm_. But just as she made to get up, she felt it curl around her torso, coming to rest just underneath her breasts – to her momentary indignation – and pull her to his side. She was going to pull away when she noticed he'd actually _relaxed_. She blinked.

_Even after that spell he looked rather tense…but…now he's calm? Could it be…my presence? Or maybe he's just used to sleeping while holding someone?_ She stared at him, noting the corners of his mouth stretched in a very calm, serene smile. He let out a sigh, sounding like one of content.

_Yes…it's definitely my presence…well…I suppose if it helps him recover…_

The blush was still on her cheeks, and became fiercer as she unconsciously snuggled closer to him.

_What the hell am I doing?_

She couldn't help it though. Despite their rocky start, the battle against the witch, and the fact that he'd made sure she ate something beforehand, showed that he at least cared a _bit_ about her. And though she had found friends, and allies…she had grown up thinking herself nothing more than a tool…that nobody cared about her. And Leone…_Hrist's_ betrayal of her, for Odin, didn't help her self-confidence either.

And for a time, she had _love…_but then it was taken from her. Silmeria's presence in her mind was always comforting, even if the Valkyrie unknowingly made the girl feel like nothing more than a doll. And Rufus, and Dylan, who then became Brahms. She had lost…so much, over the course of her own journey. And here she was, laying in the arms of another man, one who was much like her. One who had lost everything, awoken in an unfamiliar world, with something horrible happening to him. And yet, rather than fade into the darkness, he fought. And he had to do unpleasant things to some people…but ultimately he made sure only the one who intended harm to all, had been injured.

If she were to be truly honest with herself, she'd realize, ultimately, the reason she was even _unconsciously_ just letting herself be in this position, was because she was **lonely**. Revived without a friend in the world, by a stranger who wished for her help, but was willing to allow her to return home. Home, where nobody save maybe one being, was waiting for her. If she'd allowed herself time, she'd realize, they were in the same boat, so to speak. He was a shameless pervert, admitted it himself even…yet he was willing to nearly die to protect her.

He claims to hate people…and only care for individuals. But were many individuals not people?

And if he held such hatred…

…_why do I feel safe…?_

That was her final thought, as sleep claimed her as well.

* * *

Kairi stared out of the window, a forlorn shimmer to her eyes, though the rest of her face did not betray her inner feelings.

She felt…many things. Tired. Embarrassed. _Guilty_.

It had been four days, since then. Since the time that Seth's will invaded and overcame her own. She hadn't really spoken much to anyone since she woke only fifteen hours ago. She felt…dirty. Unhappy. Unclean.

It wasn't that he did anything to her, per-se. She couldn't even remember any of it. But he'd taken over her. Taken control. And according to the others, who had woken long before she did, she was fighting like a _demon_.

Here she was, a so called princess of Heart, immune to darkness…and she was throwing black flames around like child's play. All she remembered was feeling pain…pain, hatred, fear…and sadness.

_So_ much sadness.

A sadness born of loss. Loss of _everything_.

No dreams came to her during her unconsciousness. No visits, no meetings, no nothing. Just…pain. Agony.

She wanted to die.

She wanted it all to end.

But it wasn't _her_ who felt that way.

It was **him.**

But he still pushed on. Because he needed to know.

She was drowning in memories that weren't hers. Memories of war, of death, of joy, of sorrow, of pain.

Naminé herself couldn't do anything. She was completely blocked off. Stuck in a strange cage of black fire, listening to _music_ of all things. Beating drums like a death-march, a symphony of destruction had surrounded the blonde half-entity, keeping her from being able to do anything to assist Kairi, perhaps end her possession.

Kairi gave an audible sigh.

The courtyard was in shambles. The garden turned to ash, entire chunks of the whole castle blown out.

And it was all her fault. Or at least, that's what it felt like, to her.

Ultimately, the others blamed Seth. But really, it wasn't either of their faults this time. Before her consciousness left her, she _felt_ the desperation within him. So desperate it _hurt_. Whatever he called for, he had dived deep within himself to pull it out…grasping her essence and dragging it with him.

**BA-THUMP**

She gasped, clutching her chest. Her vision went blurry, the world around her spinning. Her heart began pounding, she began to feel that familiar sensation of her blood racing along her veins. She barely caught her reflection in the glass mirror across from her bed in one of the castle's many guest rooms. Her body was lit up with flowing red strands, coming from her heart, extending along her veins.

But slowly, the glowing strands faded. The dizziness went away.

And she _knew_.

She knew where he was.

She shifted her weight, bringing her feet to the ground. She would tell the others.

She wanted answers.

And it was high time he gave them.

* * *

He had to admit. As odd as it was to wake up with her in his arms, Alicia had brought him a fuckload of comfort he'd missed. The pale-blonde haired warrior maiden seemed to act a little shier around him than before, after she woke to see him giving her a very serene yet bemused smile. She'd flushed brightly when he admit he'd been just watching her for the last half hour, finding her sleeping so peacefully that he couldn't be assed to wake her up.

"…_the most beautiful thing I've seen in Tia knows how long. Definitely the most beautiful sight I've witnessed since I woke up in that Dark Corridor. And I've __**been **__to Valhalla."_

He wasn't kidding either. He'd be the first to admit being a shameless pervert, and willing to be a massive flirt. But he'd also state while he's not afraid to compliment someone, especially a woman, he's got no qualms about tearing down their confidence either, if it was false. Tearing people down, and helping them rebuild, with accurate, truthful emotions and beliefs. That was his skill.

And then the war started.

He shook his head to clear those thoughts, preferring to think of the feeling of Alicia in his arms. By no means was she unattractive. Even if she had crazy thighs for someone of her smaller frame. She was petite, in a way, but he knew that hid a powerful will, and a nearly unmatched skill with a blade. _Should get her a small shield though. She could use one, even if just for the parry bonus._ He would be the first to say to her face, she was damn beautiful. And he would also add the truth that he always had a thing for girls who could possibly kick his ass.

_Men are raised as men. That's a bit of a problem in itself. As good as I am at keeping myself from being a __**man**__ about some things, it helps to know I've got a girl who can put me back into my place if I go too far out of line. We're not taught proper 'limits' beyond the sexual ones when it comes to women. On top of which, every woman is different, just like every man. What would set one woman off would be a flattering comment for another._

He'd also be the first to admit he's not beyond making a sexist or derogatory comment, even if offhand or unconsciously. Moreso if he had absolutely no respect for the person in question. Actually, in that case he'd be most likely to be thinking up the most hurtful things he could. _Break them down, make them feel like the trash they are. They aren't respected because of their race, or gender, or status. Only their personal deeds, or lack thereof. Everyone's the same until they prove themselves to be different: just another face in the crowd. Worth taking a look at, but unless they have that spark, not worth bothering with._

How far was 'too far'? It all depended on the person. For some, there was no limit, or rather, there was, but due to their own actions, they rescinded all right to complaint. But he didn't go around judging people. Not unless they judged him first. He'd slap them in a category with a question mark at the end, and look forward to them proving him wrong. Otherwise, they were just meatbags.

But regardless, he had awoken with her in his arms, sleeping peacefully. It was something he missed greatly.

He was lonely. That was one of the reasons why he was hunting for proof of Xion's existence. He'd made a friend, in her. And she was cute too.

_Ugh…so why is it I don't just go hunt down a world with a brothel? Ahh right…that stupid aversion to random sex without a connection. Stupid heart. Sometimes I wonder if these things are worth having. They just complicate crap but…_

He sighed, leaning back against the wall that the bed was next to, papers all around him.

_I wouldn't be as strong as I've become without it…without them…_

_I'm trying guys…I really am. Once I get Xion to be real…I know she'll be willing to come help, even if Alicia isn't. It's…not fair that I'm technically manipulating her like this, but I really do like the girl. I'm just asking a favor from her, is all. And it won't even count as payment for me bringing her back. No…that one's free. Cause…cause only the worst of people deserves to be locked in solitary like that…forgotten by everyone. And she's not one of them._

_Once I set Xion free, I'll start looking for answers. Like why I survived our world's end…_

_And why those damn __**things**__ seem so familiar._

Suddenly, a fluttering erupted in his chest.

He blinked, wiping his eyes. He had nearly fallen asleep in his musings. He gathered the papers, putting them on the small desk, before slipping out of the doorway that led into a small hall. Through there, was a bigger room, like a sort of living room, or common room. There, Alicia was peering through papers, just like he was before. She was wearing, over the pillaged clothes from the store she dived into, a black cloak, similar to the one Xion wore before it got slathered in goop. He'd suggested she wear it around here, to keep her safe from the corrosive effects of Dark Energy, in case he had to open a Corridor. He got a soft grin on his face as he remembered how flustered she was after he'd praised her beauty. He cleared his throat, grin widening as she jumped in surprise.

_Sweet thing…she's actually taking this seriously…I owe her. A lot._

"We've got company. Come on, we shouldn't keep them waiting."

* * *

It was horrible.

They'd reached the edge of the Fragment Crossing, the area just before the Memory's Skyscraper, which seemed to be the center of the town. All along the way, broken buildings and craters lined the road. Some houses even still had fires burning, either green ones or the normal orange-red. Sparks emitted from broken signs, the wall that separated a large chunk of the roadway from the other side was completely demolished. It allowed for a faster path through the streets but at the same time made the devastation seem all the more real.

This just confirmed in Kairi's heart, that something had happened here, which caused her to do the same at Disney Castle.

And then…with a deep plunging noise, a swirling gateway of black and purple opened up before them. From within, stepped two figures. One, the four of them recognized. The other, they didn't.

"Hail, and well met, Princess of Heart." The familiar one spoke.

"Oh cut the crap Seth." Kairi snarked…before blinking rapidly, not really understanding why she snipped at him like that.

But instead of get offended, he just laughed. "Looks like there's a bit of bleed-over eh? Or was that all you?"

"Yes." Was all she said. He simply laughed harder.

"Good answer."

"Speaking of which. I want some."

"Aye, don't we all? I need some too. But, before that, I wanna congratulate you on activating your Driver."

She tilted her head. "Is that what they're called?"

"Yep. I'm proud of you. Not just for waking it up and using it successfully, but for growing a Quad and telling him how you felt."

She flushed a little, before her face quirked in a strange manner, nose scrunching and lips shifting to the side, as she rose an eyebrow.

"A 'quad'?"

"Yep. Quad. What you've never heard of the Krogan?" He asked.

"The _what?_"

"Krogan. Big lizard people with hard shells, redundant nervous systems and two of every important organ conceivable? Including four testicles."

"Oh eww. I really did _not_ need to know about that."

"Of course you did."

She just shook her head.

"I have a dumb question." Sora spoke suddenly. Seth nodded to him.

"Why would they need _four_ testicles?" He asked, as Riku slapped his forehead with his right palm.

"Why wouldn't they?" Was Seth's response. Sora opened his mouth to counter but then thought better about it.

"Good point." He conceded.

To his left, Aqua gave a soft sigh of resignation. _He's still just a teenager…world-saving hero or not, this should be expected. Now that I think of it, comparatively, Ven led a pretty sheltered life, if he wasn't asking random questions like that…_ Suddenly her cheeks tinged as she thought of how _awkward_ it would have been to explain a woman's period to him. They'd managed to get away with explaining her sudden pains with it being 'a girl thing.'

Her sigh caught Seth's attention.

"Oi, Red. Who's the hottie?"

Cue facepalm from Alicia, eye roll from Kairi and a snort of contempt from Riku.

"You thought so too right?!" Sora blurted out. To which Kairi turned her head and glared at him. And Aqua just stared at the brunette. Riku, once again, gave a facepalm.

Once he caught Kairi's glare though Sora tried to stammer out some comparative compliment, but Seth stomped on it.

"Sora." The boy silenced himself, turning to the black haired teen. "Have you kissed Kairi yet?" Now Kairi's glare was on Seth. Sora shook his head.

"Might wanna shut up then. Anything you say further is just gonna piss her off more. Later on, pull her aside, give her a nice long, _passionate_ kiss, and make sure she knows that while there's _pleeeeenty_ of hot girls out there in the worlds, she's the one you've picked. Also buy her chocolate. The road to a girl's good side is paved with chocolate."

Sora just nodded.

"And what would you know about that?" Riku snarked at Seth.

"One, I've had about six or seven girlfriends more than you've had, oh king of emo." Riku bristled. "Two, I dated one of them about seven times, and would have gone for an eighth if she didn't turn into a complete asshole and lead to my apprentice gleefully killing her in an extremely messy manner." The sudden wistful smile on his face put them all on edge.

"Sweet Tia I miss that girl…the second I told her she resembled a woman who'd long since broken my heart and betrayed me, the first thing out of her mouth was 'so I have an evil doppelganger I have to kill. Ok.'"

And now they wondered just what kind of people he used to surround himself with, if _that_ was a trait he looked for in them.

"And three, the last girlfriend I had, though we broke up due to her persisting mental issues keeping her from accessing her true self, was one of the most important. I learned a lot about women, love and relationships in general through her. Also sex. Can't forget the sex."

Kairi just rolled her eyes once again.

"Besides, if all else fails, the chocolate thing still stands." He concluded.

"But what if the girl doesn't _like_ chocolate?" Alicia suddenly piped up.

"Are you trying to shit me woman? **All** girls – save for perhaps those allergic – like chocolate. It's like…hardwired into their core systems or something. Chocolate is like, the one thing all women have a soft spot for. Everything else that people say girls like? Depends on the girl. But Chocolate? That's like, the universe's pacifier for a woman." He stated.

"Oh really?" Alicia said sarcastically. "Then what's a man's?"

"Blowjob." Was the immediate answer.

"…blow…job…?" Alicia returned, confused.

"…fellatio? Giving head? Hobbing the knob? Sucking di-

"OH MY GOD DO YOU EVER SHUT UP ABOUT THAT?!" Kairi yelled, exasperated.

"Don't bitch girl you're gonna need to know about that if you're gonna make him bus-

"HER NAME IS AQUA!"

See, there was one key thing she knew about Seth. It was nearly _impossible_ to make him stop once he felt like tormenting someone. However, you _could_ make the attempt to derail his current thoughtline and put him on a different one.

If he felt like going along with it.

**If**.

Lucky for her, he did, this time.

"…wow were your parents drunk off their ass when they named you that?"

Everyone just stared at him. Aqua was a little offended actually.

"…that sounded a _lot_ less insulting in my head." He said, bemused. "I mean your name is literally 'water'. I can't help but wonder if your mother like, asked for water and some nurse or cleric or scribe person thought that was gonna be your name and then she just decided 'to hell with it' and went along. Cause from what little I know about childbirth is it's really fuckin draining."

The offended feeling was…lesser…than before. But she was still uncertain how to proceed. "…I really cannot formulate a response to that." She said, deadpan. Who the hell _was_ this guy?

"Aww, I broke the cutie already? Boo. Thought you'd last longer than that."

Kairi sighed. "Just…just shut up and touch me." She said this, after lowering her top so the crest of her breasts were exposed, knowing that was the fastest way to her heart.

Seth just shook his head, grinning, while stepping forward. "I could do _so_ much with that invitation."

She rolled her eyes again. "Could, but will you?"

"Nah. You're my type but you're taken."

To Riku's surprise, Kairi's exasperated, exhausted look became one of…joy. Even if the others didn't know what he meant by that, she did. It meant, that he found her desirable, but was respecting the fact that she had chosen Sora as hers.

Although, even Aqua had to fight back the urge to club him over the head with a blunt metal object, when he casually placed his hand right between her breasts. The wry grin on his face fading into a soft concentrated frown was the only thing that stopped her. Kairi let out a soft, slow sigh of air, as she felt his hand touch her once again. But this time, she was ready.

She wanted to know something, as did he. And this was the fastest way.

* * *

Suddenly, she gasped; eyes snapping open.

"Wh-wha-no! No-no-Stop! Stop it! Get out, get, get-get off get out!"

Abruptly his hand detached from her chest, his eyes slowly opening. Alicia stood straighter, hand reaching for her sword, as the other three tensed.

"You…you you have a _**SECRET!**_"

Seth let out a slow, soft sigh. "…yeah."

She felt sick. "But…that's…that shouldn't be…"

"…I know." There was no humor in his voice.

"Oh my god…oh my god were…were they _right_ about you?"

Distraught as she was, she didn't see the flinch rip through his whole body. However, she _did_ see the sudden wave of black that emerged from the ground around them, a literal wall of Neo Shadow heartless rising up from the ground.

"Look…I'd like you to know it bu-

"No! No-I…how am I supposed to believe you? You have a _secret!_ That's not supposed to be _possible_! How can I trust anything you say?!"

She was stumbling backwards, heart hammering in her chest, horror, revulsion, _sick_.

The Neo Shadows had surrounded them now. She flinched violently as a single Shadow heartless rose from his barely noticeable shadow, before it took a step forward.

"Miri, stop." It stopped, tilting its head towards him. The Neo Shadows also stopped their approach, something that both Aqua and Riku took notice of. "She's right…you're right." He spoke, quietly.

"You can't trust me. You're right. I have a secret. It's not my secret to tell. But I hold it. And because of that, because I can keep that from you, even with a connection like ours…you're right. You can't trust me."

It…actually _hurt_…to hear him talk like this. Alicia found herself _surprised_, at…how silent but yet _obvious_ the pain in his voice was. She didn't know anything about what was going on, besides what he'd told her…although she didn't fail to grasp the significance of the concept of 'secret' in a connection where secrets were supposed to be impossible. But…he was _hurting_.

He sighed again. A sigh of defeat. His whole posture slouched, as the Shadow that had stepped from his own echo, padded towards him, wisps of black and murky violet surrounding his body.

"…just…take _her_ home? It's what you guys do, right? Fix problems like people missing from their worlds. I don't…I shouldn't have gotten anyone else involved."

One last sigh, as he turned away, the murky gateway of the Dark Corridor forming around him, before it whisked him away to places unknown.

As the Darkness muffled his heart's presence, the Resonance Reaction faded, and Kairi dropped to her knees, left hand clutching right wrist, with right fist over her heart, as it hammered away. he had a _secret_. He could keep information from her. What else could he do?!

"…**that was…a bit harsh…don't you think?" **_Wh-what? Naminé he- _**"I know, he has a secret. That shouldn't be possible at all. But…to say you can't trust him at all…do you really believe that?" **_…what…what are you saying? _**"Look…you aren't the only one capable of seeing into his heart when you two connect. This was just the first time I was able to do it too. But I saw it too. That wall blocking off the information. But I **_**felt**_** something as well."**

There was a moment's hesitation, before Kairi asked what it was.

"**Pain. That wall was surrounded by pain. Pain and **_**hope**_**. It **_**hurt**_** to keep that secret from you. I could feel every spare shred of will blocking it off, but it **_**hurt**_** him to do it." **_Of course it hurt! I was- _**"Not **_**that**_** kind of hurt, Kairi. **_**Emotional**_** hurt. **_**Betrayal**_** hurt. Like he felt that just by having it he was betraying you, and it **_**hurt**_** him to do that." **_Naminé he could just be messing with you. _**"Maybe. But do you really think he'd do that?" **_I can't trust- _**"Kairi. Come on. Really think about it."**

Problem was, she had. And she didn't like the results.

_If he can keep secrets, what's to stop him from having messed with our emotions? What if everything I got from him was just a story? A lie? What if- _**"Y'know you're really sounding like him right now."**

That shut Kairi up.

"**Tell me something. Would he have backed off? Would he have respected your wish for him to cut the connection, if he were really so untrustworthy? I'm technically an outsider. I was able to get a glimpse of what he was looking for. He wanted information on the Organization. Something about a second girl involved. I get the feeling that has to do with the Secret."**

…_this could all be a trick. This could just be him putting something in my head to make me think- _**"Ok now you're just being like Riku. Could, could, could. Yes. It's possible. But **_**really**_**, Kairi. You have to ask yourself, what would he **_**gain**_** by doing that? You saw how he fought. He was even able to link to you in such a way that you **_**lost all motor control**_**, and he doesn't even know he **_**did **_**it. If he wanted you, you would be his, and nothing you or I or Sora or even Aqua could do, would be able to stop him. Do you really think he's that horrible a person? If he was, why would he leave **_**her**_** to us? Why would he give her a **_**coat**_** to not be affected by the Darkness? Is that truly what you believe?"**

…_no…_

"**Then get up, Kairi. Get up and go after him. He's trying to do something. Something important to him. And he's willing to give everyone else up and do it alone. He's alone and lonely, and **_**in pain**_**. He should be dead twice over, but he's still pushing on. You couldn't see it because you were in shock, but he's trying to make that secret **_**un**_**-secret. You saw though, what I saw. He fully admit he should have asked you and the others to come with him. He fought **_**Maleficent**_** and **_**destroyed **_**her. **_**Destroyed**_** Pete. Had that little shadow of his turn him into a **_**Darkball**_**. You can keep asking yourself 'what if' all you want. But you and I **_**both**_** know that you trust him."**

…_I do. I shouldn't…but I do. Is…is this his doing as well…? _Naminé gave a snort. **"Of course it is. But it's the same way you trust Riku, or Aqua. It's because he's proven himself trustworthy by you. Not because of some emotional manipulation. Really, with how lonely he is, do you think, if it was emotional constructing, he'd leave you as just a friend? You **_**felt**_** how damn horny that bastard is. It gave me a damn headache! And I don't even technically **_**have**_** a head!"**

…_why…? Why do you stand up for him…? _**"The same reason you did, when Riku kept trying to push more negativity on him than he deserved. He gave you a gift, Kairi. Not just the Driver, though he gave you that too. But he gave you a piece of himself…a very important piece."**

…_his need to Understand. _Naminé gave a mental nod. **"Exactly. He gave you the drive, the desire, to understand. **_**His**_** drive. And because of it, you were finally able to admit your feelings to Sora. To **_**yourself**_**."**

…_and that's why…I trust him. Because he helped me learn to trust myself…but…you're still separate from me. Why do __**you**__ trust him?_

"…**because he's like me…someone who shouldn't exist. And because he's like me…I know…he needs **_**someone**_** to trust him."**

_That…doesn't make sense._

"**Tell me Kairi…what do you do, when nobody believes in you?"**

_Believe in yourself._

"**And if your belief in yourself starts to wane?"**

…_I…I see…_

"**Someone has to, Kairi. Otherwise…they do horrible things…because nobody cares."**

* * *

"_How can I trust anything you say?!"_

…_how indeed. You can't…nobody can._

He was a master manipulator. Studied human interaction, emotion, _existence_. Not through books or lectures or experiments, but by listening. Watching. Living. _Caring._ He sought to understand, if only to better himself, to be a better person, a better friend, a better lover. But he knew weakness. He knew how to attack weaknesses, how to make people crumble, how to make people _beg_.

And despite that he preferred only using his skills in twisting people's minds, tampering with their hearts and wills, for _their_ benefit, making them into the people they truly wished to be…he hated it.

_You can't trust me. Because I know how to make you do what I want you to. What __**you**__ want you to._

That's why he left. That's why he let her be, when she recoiled from him. She was right. A Secret at that level of connection is meant to be impossible, unless it's a secret even from the self. But it wasn't. He was just that strong. Because he believed he had to be.

_Belief…is the key to everything. If you believe, you can try. Maybe not succeed, but at least try, and possibly get closer to success than any before you. She's close to my strength now…I actually had to __**fight**__ to keep her from it. And that let her know there was something I was hiding. It used to be easy…directing her. But since she woke the Driver…since she confronted and accepted her feelings…she's gotten stronger._

_I guess this is what it means to tangle with a Princess of Heart._

All he knew about the Princess' of Heart was that they were naturally _extremely_ Light elementally aligned, were immune to the corrosive effects of Dark Energy, and could not be turned into Heartless, even when losing their hearts. The seven of them, together, resonating their energies could open a near direct pathway to Kingdom Hearts, meaning they were the keys to the 'backdoor' of the mysterious conceptual realm. He didn't know what would become of them when they died – _if _they could even die – but knew they were all people of significant importance in their own worlds.

_And one of them is directly connected to me…_

He wasn't kidding when he said she was his type. He'd seen her in various states of existence, through her memories. She had many traits he found attractive, and she wasn't displeasing to the eyes. But she had set her heart on Sora, and he wasn't the type to get in the way unless it was a _bad_ relationship. And from what little he knew, both from Xion and from Kairi's memories, Sora'd be good for her.

_She's not broken. She's whole. More whole than I've seen anyone be in a long time. Her home was erased, she was displaced, but she found her way to Sora, with practically no protections at all. The three of them made each other complete. Riku, the Body. Kairi, the Mind. And Sora, the Soul. She's whole. And I'm not. Even if I could pull her away from him, I wouldn't. We would probably work well together…but she's too __**light**__. She managed to easily hold on to her innocence, her happiness, even though everything around her crumbled. And she's __**whole.**_

_She's cute…definitely my type…but I'm better suited for the __**broken**__ ones. Besides. It'd be easy kicking his ass, but I'd have to do it over and over and over…that'd get tiresome after a while. Better to not even start._

It didn't stop it from hurting though. Knowing that he was betraying the closest thing he had to a friend, for the sake of another close thing to a friend.

_Too much uncertainty, too much instability in the concept. Xion's existence is in flux. She's sustaining herself on her own belief but I of all people know that doesn't last forever. And while the idea that having more people believe in her would solidify her existence, at the same time, it could throw more chaos into the mix because too many conflicting thoughts of who 'Xion' is would arise. No…best to leave it between me and her. She knows who she is, who she wants to be, and I know about who she saw herself as. It won't be easy with just me, but it's safer._

_...why isn't it going away? why is it getting __**stronger**__?_

* * *

"Kairi why are we going to the Castle?" Sora asked his surprisingly determined looking girlfriend.

"Because I made a mistake. And I'm going to fix it." Was the answer.

"Aren't we supposed to be taking _her_ home?" He returned.

Kairi stopped. The others did as well. She sighed, turning to Alicia.

"I'm sorry. Do you mind-

"No no, by all means go ahead. I'm…a little lost as to what's going on, but he's told me a few things about the larger universe outside of Midgard and Valhalla. It's honestly very interesting. Confusing, but interesting all the same. Besides…I'm not entirely certain I wish to return just yet. He seems so…lonely…"

Kairi gave a sad smile. "He is. I'm sorry you had to see my reaction. He's not a bad person, really-

"Oh I know. He's a little strange, and definitely a massive pervert, but he's respectful, in his own way. And he cares. It's not hidden in the slightest, but it's subtle. You know the first thing he did, other than explain why he brought me back and what was going on in this confusing reality I woke up to, was make sure I got something to eat? He would even stare, silently at me during points of his explanation until he saw me eating. It was…a little embarrassing but at the same time…quite comforting."

Kairi nods. "He's lost everything he knows. He wasn't even intending to link with me at all."

Alicia nodded in response. "Oh yes, he told me about that. You had kicked his target out of the way unknowingly and he ended up in your body. And because of that, you two are linked to one another."

"Yeah. I can feel when he's near, and we can…get information from each other, when we enter a resonating trance. A friend of ours, Queen Minnie, said that such a connection is rare, but it happens from time to time."

"It doesn't change the fact that he destroyed our world." Riku bit out.

Surprisingly enough, it was Sora who felt the next thing coming. In fact, he stepped aside, just as Kairi whirled around and _decked_ Riku right in the nose. The silver-grey haired teen cried out in pain as he fell to his back, both from the force of the blow and the surprise that accompanied it.

"Dammit Riku I am _so _sick of your _SHIT!_ Do I have to summon a _fucking_ Eldrich _God_ before you stop blaming him for _shit_ that was out of his control?! The _goddamn _King and Queen **themselves** even told you to your stupid _fucking_ face that the instability caused by battle, **period, **was the reason why our world was destroyed! He was just like us! At the wrong _fucking_ place at the wrong _fucking_ time! **YES** he was the one who landed the final _fucking_ strike on that _**asshole**_ Xemnas but the same damn result could have happened if it was **any **of us! So stop pushing your _fucking_ depression on the wrong _fucking_ person and start **dealing with it!**"

Riku just stared at the girl. "Look what he's done to you Kairi! You never used to even _talk_ like that!"

The girl in question just screamed angrily, grabbing her hair and almost pulling it out in frustration.

"Riku! I am two _fucking_ seconds away from seeing how long _you_ survive with your Heart ejected from your _goddamn body_ if you don't SHUT THE FUCK UP RIGHT NOW!"

Riku scoffed. "Kairi you couldn't-

He froze.

Because she was suddenly standing _right _over him, her Keyblade aimed _right_ at his heart.

"**Try me.**" The girl growled out.

It was this moment, that it started finally sinking in for Riku. Yes, he'd long since acknowledged he was being unfair, but the entire _planet _was destroyed. Not consumed by Darkness, which could be undone, but _destroyed_. Completely annihilated. In so much a way that only those who had been there, and held a Keyblade, remembered its existence. And with Xemnas gone, Seth was the only person he had to blame. Or rather, the only person he _wanted _to blame.

He'd long since accepted that Kairi only had eyes for Sora. And he was alright with that. In fact, he agreed that Sora was the better choice of the two. The brunette honestly had less baggage. But he'd forced his once romantic feelings for the redhead into a familiar classification. She was his sister, in all but blood. And knowing what Seth did to her, regardless of the logical connotations, pissed him off.

And he'd _changed_ her. The Queen herself stated that because Seth's will was so strong, his personality traits were beginning to bleed over to Kairi. And it showed. It showed _greatly_. She was always confident, but now that confidence was _stronger_. Her words were harsher, more biting, more complex. She was still her…just…more. And he wasn't sure how to deal with that. Especially since it was forced on her. But she went with it. Accepted it. _Embraced_ it, it seemed.

He didn't want to accept it. But she _had_ changed. And he was being an asshole, for the sake of being an asshole. But Seth had changed her. Not just mentally, not just emotionally. She was _stronger, _faster, more capable than before. And the fact that she was standing there, Keyblade poised to _end_ him, her longtime friend, all because he was pushing an issue he honestly had no need, or right, to push…it proved it.

Riku may have been her friend. Riku may have even been like her brother. But there was now a new thoughtline in her mind. One that didn't tolerate certain types of bullshit. One that didn't allow someone to just blatantly throw blame at another, when said other was no more at fault than the one throwing blame. The King himself had said that Seth _changed_, when the King had pushed him. Tried to throw blame on the homeless teen for things he never even _thought_ of doing. And now Kairi had that same trait of Seth's. A trait that turned one into a cold, destructive force to cut down one who judged without preamble, without reason.

And Riku had proven himself to be one of those people.

"…would you really do it?" He found himself asking, quietly.

"…it would hurt. But I would." Was the response.

"…why."

"I've seen some of his memories. He knew people…people that were as close to him as you and I are. And they started acting, just like you. Judging, throwing blame, consuming themselves with their own emotions just so they could feel better, rather than look at the truth and grow stronger from it. They eventually kept clashing with him, despite the fact that they _knew_ how he thought. He'd confided _everything_ in them. And then they betrayed him. And it _hurt_. The worst pain imaginable. No…beyond that. The pain of knowing that someone you trusted with your _life_, with the life of _others_ that you cherished, would allow themselves to be swayed by the _masses_ of people around them, **idiots** with no knowledge of truth, only what was in front of them; the pain of _loss_ of such a powerful _love_, the loss of _family_, by their own damn hands."

Behind her, Alicia bowed her head. She knew that pain all too well.

"Yes. I'd do it. Because it would stop you from becoming a _monster_ like they did. I'd do, for myself, what he wished he had before they finished turning. Because the moment they gave _themselves_ up, the moment they betrayed him, they had betrayed themselves. I've only felt a _fragment_, an _echo_ of that pain. And I won't hesitate to keep it from happening. _Especially_ since you're my **Brother**, Riku."

There were tears running down her face, as she spoke. This clinched it. The bleed-over was immense…but she held fast to it. Some part of her – **her**, not the bits she got from Seth, but _her_ – truly believed that if _that_ kind of double betrayal were coming…it was best to stop it, in any way one could, before it did.

And for a brief moment, Riku truly felt _sorry_ for the young man he was constantly giving shit to. Because one would have to have lived a life filled with friends who left you, before you started believing in such a concept.

"I see…I…I'm sorry."

Kairi shook her head, stepping back, but not moving to help him up.

"It's not me, you need to apologize to."

Aqua was scared.

You couldn't tell by looking at her, but she was getting more and more fearful as time passed.

This was almost _exactly _like what happened with her…with _them_.

_But there's one key difference_. Her subconscious told her. _Xehanort sowed the seeds of dissent for his own goals. He did it all intentionally. Played us all like puppets, to get the result he wanted. Seth…Seth isn't doing that. He's not attempting anything other than to exist. All of this started when he invaded Kairi…but he didn't __**choose**__ to invade her. He was going after Xemnas, who started all of this. Kairi got in the way, and now, all of this is happening._

"Ok…this is practically a blatant subject change but I just had a thought. What if that _secret_ was him planning on bringing our world back somehow?" Sora spoke up, a little hesitantly.

Riku blinked. _…huh._ He hadn't even thought of that.

But Alicia shook her head. "It's not."

They all turned to her.

"I myself don't know much about it…and considering he wasn't even willing to tell you what little he told me, I'm not too sure I can tell you what I know. But I can at least tell you it has nothing to do with your world…or any of you, for that matter. I don't even think he knows your world was destroyed in the first place. I get the feeling that's not the kind of information you just 'forget' to tell someone. And he seemed rather adamant about catching me up to speed."

Sora sighed. "Damn…worth a shot at least."

"Can you tell us anything at all?" Aqua asked.

"Umm…only that it has to do with a promise he made someone, after he woke up. And that he wants to tell me more, but apparently what he's trying to do is very vague, very confusing, not entirely within the realm of logic, and very delicate. He told me that theoretically, telling more people about it _could_ help it along, but he doesn't know if he's got more than one attempt at this so he's taking every precaution he can." Alicia stated.

"Doesn't really tell us much…" Sora mused, arms behind his head.

"Umm…if you want my thoughts on it…?"

"Please." Riku stated softly, drawing a raised eyebrow from Kairi.

"…I think he's trying to bring someone…or something…back to existence." She confessed.

They all paused. "…how can you tell…?" Sora asked, interested.

"It sounds like a very _large_ very roundabout version of a concept that exists on my world called 'Object Materialization'. Basically the easiest way to put it is you take the memory of a being and infuse your own psychic energy into that concept, as well as the being's existence, and create a physical form for it. It's a skill belonging to the Valkyrie. It's how they train their Einherjar for combat while on Midgard. They approach a newly dead being, bind the soul temporarily to them, and then use their powers to manifest them when needed. Some, however, are strong enough to continuously exist outside of the Valkyrie's will." Alicia explained.

Kairi nodded to herself. "Could be. But…I don't think we should ask."

"Why not?" Riku pushed, truly wanting to know.

"Because he might get the wrong idea, and think that Alicia betrayed his trust. He doesn't have a link with her the way he does me, so he wouldn't know that she came up with the idea on her own. He'd only be left to presume that she told us what he told her."

"Wouldn't you…be able to put it in his head though?" Riku asked.

"It doesn't work like that. I could easily give him the information, even show him the memory of this conversation…but you don't understand. Once you've been betrayed the way he has, it's too easy to lose trust in someone. Even if he gives you the benefit of the doubt, he stops…trusting you as much. You wouldn't even notice it unless you knew how to look for it. But he'd be double-analyzing everything you said and did from that point on, not sure if you were lying. The…best way to go about this, would be if Alicia asked him straight out if what he was trying to do was anything like her…what was it again?"

"Object Materialization."

"That. If it was like that. Because then he'd be able to see that she pieced it together herself, or rather, he'd be more inclined to believe she did." Kairi concluded.

"But she _did_ figure it out herself." Aqua stated.

"True…but the funny thing about truth…it doesn't matter if it's truth or not…if someone doesn't believe in it."

* * *

"…you're still here."

"Yes. I am."

"You shouldn't be. You should be taking her home."

"She doesn't want to go, just yet."

"You still shouldn't be here."

"Maybe, but I am."

"You can't trust me."

"I was wrong."

"No, you weren't. I'm not a good person."

"Bullshit. You're just lonely and depressed."

"I can keep things from you. You can't trust me."

"I was _wrong_."

"You shouldn't be around me. I'm changing you. Even I know that."

"Maybe I want to be changed."

"Not like this. You're becoming like me."

"Is that so bad?"

"I'm the last person anyone should be like."

"I don't believe that."

"I _do._ Stay away from me."

"I refuse."

"Don't make me force you."

"There is _nothing_ you can do, that will change my mind."

The rest of the group stood away from Kairi and Seth. Seth, was sitting in front of the window inside the Addled Impasse, the area that Saix preferred to reside within. Kairi had approached him, but kept a small distance between them. They watched the fast-paced back-and-forth between the two.

And then he stood.

"…we'll see about that."

_Naminé, now's the time to get started!_ **"Already on it Kairi."**

The group felt the air in the room grow heavy, before a sudden distortion ripped from the now turning Seth. _Everyone_ felt the sheer amount of pressure he was emitting, his unknown power coating all of them, forcing them to their knees.

Before Kairi lashed an arm out, and stopped it. They all looked up, surprised.

And then she _leapt._

* * *

A slight shift of his head, and her fist went right past him, guided by his left palm. He moved his right arm out as she leaned forward, into the imbalance of weight, turning a would-be stumble into a backward kick with her right leg. Her heel slapped his palm as he thrust it back downward, stepping back before swinging his own right leg up and around in a counter-clockwise motion. She ducked low, twisting on her heels while sweeping her left foot out. He merely jumped backward out of the way.

Stomping the ground after he landed, he thrust a palm out, burst of distortion ripping towards Kairi. Once again she lashed her arm out, only this time she was running towards him. Hopping on her left foot, she threw out her arms before tightening them, spinning like a corkscrew, lifting her right leg outward in a spinning kick. With a pulse of his field, he added extra weight to his counter swipe of his left arm, barely flinching as the heavy **SMACK** of flesh met flesh. A mental command, and a backwards pressure pushed her closer to him, to her surprise, as he grabbed her leg before pulling. She threw out a counter-wave by thrusting both hands forward, barely stopping his fist from crashing into her chest, then twisted herself for her right leg to lift off the ground with a thrust of pressure, causing him to release her other leg to duck underneath it.

She landed, before twisting again, evading his rising punt, crouching low as he swung his left arm in a back-fisted motion, rising up to grasp at his waist, to which he pinned her arms with his, smacking the back of his head into her nose, disorienting her, before sweeping her legs out from beneath her, and then following up with a palm thrust that sent her flying back. She slammed into the ground hard enough to bounce up, using that momentum to catch herself on all fours, growling slightly.

The group was _stunned_. Even Riku and Sora were surprised, thinking that she was only capable of doing what she did to Xemnas because _Seth_ was controlling her at the time.

They were partially right.

Riku tensed as a wave of pressure ripped from Seth, slamming into the glass window before it shattered. Shards of glass began surrounding his body like a wall of whistling pain.

And then they stopped.

Aqua gave an audible gasp of horror as the shards suddenly began rotating at impossible speeds, before _rocketing_ towards Kairi. The redhead just growled, ducking low and swinging her arms over her head, and the shards all seemed to halt. Eyes narrowing in a glare, Seth twisted his wrist, watching as Kairi did the same. The shards _shattered_ further, compressed and **erased** by the two pressures slamming into them.

And then the _horns_ started.

Around Kairi's waist formed her belt, the sound of jovial horns echoing through the room. The back of her left hand flared a soft white, and she brought it across the heart crest on her driver.

"Henshin!"

_**Valor Form**_

A wave of red light emerged from the core, enveloping her before shattering, revealing her holding two Keyblades, clad in a dark crimson form of her clothing. One being hers, the other being Sora's Kingdom Key.

Seth said nothing, as the girl expertly twirled her Keyblades around, as a show of intimidation. Chains formed around his waist, as the clawed eye buckle formed, the haunting organ tune flowing through the air. The shard formed in his hand.

"Henshin."

He slapped the shard in, and the iris snapped open.

_**Crow Form**_

Grey light ripped from the eye, shattering and crashing into him, forming his armor. The eyes behind the visor glowed a violent purple.

And in his right hand, formed his own Keyblade.

The vents flared open, and he rocketed towards Kairi, thrusting his Keyblade forward. She slapped it down with her right weapon, bringing her left around in a cross chop. In the blink of an eye he had brought his Keyblade back up, smacking it aside, pivoting on his foot for a diagonal backwards swing. She slipped her left Keyblade around to clash with his, trying to throw off his balance, while awkwardly bringing her right up in reverse, attempting to capitalize on an opening.

But he was faster. He overcame her weight with his own, swinging his blade down, stopping her attack.

And then he started getting _creative_.

The vents opened again, and he shot backwards, before suddenly shooting forwards and _over_ her, bringing blade towards her head. She blocked with her left, trying to parry and retaliate with her right, but he just flowed to her left, along with the swing of her blade, before shooting forward and stabbing. Jumping back she narrowly avoided getting pierced, slapping his blade aside and again attempting to counter, but he just dashed back, before dashing left, and then forward, but he didn't _swing_. She reflexively attacked, but it was a _feint_. He dashed forward_ further_, flipping over and then bringing his blade around to her back, where she _barely_ managed to raise the Kingdom Key in a reverse grip behind her, just managing to block.

She stumbled forward, as he'd dashed to her left, only she didn't swing this time. It was fortunate she didn't, because he had dashed backward, then left, then right then forward then left then right again, then forward and over her, before dashing right once again. He was attempting to confuse her. Disorient her with his speed. But she just waited.

"**NOW!"**

Reacting to her Nobody's call, she swung, just as he did. Her two blades smacked into his chest as his stabbed hers, the force of the combined blows knocking them both backward. They both flipped with the motion, landing heavily, both their feet skidding on the ground from the impact. His armor shattered around him, as the belt faded away. Her clothes reverted to normal as hers did the same. They were both panting heavily, staring at one another.

And then they both rocketed forward.

The same distortion of air ripped beneath both of their feet, as they brought their blades together in a heavy clash. They stood there, both trying to overpower the other, a _dense_ wave of pressure ripping from their bodies, causing the ground beneath them to splinter.

Then they _moved_.

It was like _water_. He would swing up, she would swing down. He would swing left, she would do the same right.

For what seemed like forever, they stood there, not moving at all, just bringing their blades into one another. Twisting their weapons, lashing out like lightning, the sound of clangs constantly echoing through the chamber. They would watch her swing overhead, he would swing left knocking it aside, but keep his blade steady as she returned with a reverse diagonal chop, where his blade would be sent with the direction of her swing, only for him to turn it around and clash with another vertical chop, before being held in a backwards grip and brought up where she would block by shoving her blade forward and mimicking his motions, blocking his overhead by twisting her blade up.

Never before had Aqua seen two Keyblade wielders _fight_ like that. They were literally using the flexibility of the weapon to its greatest advantage, clashing and countering like _experts_! And she, no _they_ all knew that Kairi _wasn't that skilled!_ Where was she getting this from?! How was she able to stand so _equally_ against someone who clearly had greater experience with a weapon?

And then he did something they didn't expect. As they clashed once again, he twisted his blade, hooking the edge of hers with his, before throwing _both _aside, and slamming a palm into her chest, blowing her backwards with a ripple of air signifying the repulsive intent he'd fueled his strike with. She flew backwards, landing heavily on her back, coughing.

But she wasn't done. She pulled her legs over her head, flipped herself forward off the ground and _ran_ at him, throwing her left hand out, a wave of distortion ripping through the air, blocked by a brief flicker of a similar pressure around his body. She jumped at him, leg pulled back to kick him, but he caught both her leg, _and_ the rest of her, going with her momentum before slamming her, bodily, into the ground.

She coughed as the wind was knocked out of her, and he pinned her to the ground.

"**Do it Kairi!"**

And then she _kissed _him.

* * *

Riku and Sora stared open mouthed as their redheaded friend, Sora's _girlfriend_ no less, **kissed** the man who had invaded her heart and groped her body. Words could not be said. Their minds _stopped_ at the sight.

Seconds seemed to stretch for years…

But finally, Seth pulled away.

"…Jammy cow…"

Was the only thing that came from his mouth. The silence prior to that unusual statement was such, that even though it was spoken softly, they could hear it as if he had said it right into their ears. None of them missed the grin that formed on Kairi's lips.

"Proper."

Slowly, he got to his feet. Kairi did the same, having propped herself up on her elbows to _kiss_ him.

There was actually a cleverly calculated tactic behind that.

Naturally, one of them would have to be touching the heart of the other, or rather the area that the heart was on the physical shell, before their connection would allow actual information to be bridged. Kairi, silently, while making her way to the location in the Castle her heart told her Seth resided, had thought up a plan. Stretch her heart to his, and let him _feel_ her emotions and beliefs, willingly.

But his irritation, his self-loathing, and most of all his _depression_ had taken hold, and he was resolved to keep her from being contaminated by his will any longer. Of course, she didn't want to go along with that plan. So she fought him…but they were both irritated. Kairi was irritated with herself, with Riku, with _everything_, and he was irritated that she wouldn't just accept one final act of kindness.

But ultimately, she _shouldn't_ have been able to match him. Yet she was. Because she _planned_ for it.

Naminé had made a good point. She was an _outsider_. She was inside Kairi's heart, but _not_ _Kairi_. She was an entity all her own, capable of independent thought and motion. So _Naminé_ bridged the gap between the two, holding open the link between their hearts, sending Kairi all the instincts and battle impulses that Seth had, allowing her to keep up with him so easily. On top of that, she was sending jumbles of thought and emotion at Seth, to slow him down, to distract him, further giving Kairi a chance to keep up.

Otherwise, the moment he put on his Armor, she would have lost. Horribly.

Normally, when his armor is active, his heart is muffled, its existence harder to sense. But with Naminé acting as a bridge between them, even that protection wasn't afforded. And in the end, when Kairi's final attack failed, she had a split second to react, knowing he would find some way to knock her out. So, she kissed him.

It would both stun him, long enough for _her_ to throw herself at his heart, as well as provide the emotional contact required. Naminé, was no longer the bridge, now _Kairi_ was in control of the connection. So she threw her emotions at him, to further confuse him, before shoving _information_ into his head. He didn't believe that she had accepted him. So she would _make_ him believe it.

And she did.

"You know that's going to cause problems."

"He'll understand."

"You truly believe that?"

Kairi just looked at him, confident. "He will. Believe me."

Seth sighed. "Red…I'm no _expert_ on relationships, but I'm damn certain that watching your girlfriend _kiss_ another man outside of a mutually agreed orgy, is something that will cause problems."

"He'll understand." Was all she said. Seth just shook his head.

"Fine, fine…clearly you know something I don't."

"Turnabout's fair play isn't it?"

"Indeed."

He sighed at her. "I can't tell you anything."

She nodded. "I know."

"And you still-

"Yes. Besides, you said you'd train me. The sooner you get done what you're trying to do, the sooner you can keep your promise."

"…not that I'm trying to get out of it, but why? You've got Aqua. And Sora. And even Riku. Why me?"

"You know how to fight in ways they don't."

"But you know other martial artists. Or at least your boyfriend does."

"True, but you know _strange_ ways to fight. You know how to _fight_."

He caught the infliction in her words. She was referring to when he had her spit in Xemnas' face, throwing the Nobody off kilter.

"…you're saying…you can learn to fight from them. But from me…"

"I want to learn how to _survive._ That's what you do, isn't it?"

He just nodded, absently.

"I don't know where to start. I didn't find anything."

"Umm…" Alicia broke in. Everyone turned to her.

"I…might have found something…before this started…"

* * *

_What a mess…_

Kairi shook her head, sighing softly to herself. Everything had gone downhill, since they left The World that Never Was.

Alicia had told them she found something referring to 'Wonderland'. And Seth decided that would be his next destination. Kairi pushed him into taking the Gummy Ship with her and her group, rather than using a Dark Corridor. It took longer, but all of them, Alicia included – for the girl had decided she was going to stay with Seth for a while – had reached the strange, distorted world.

And then things got weird.

First, they met Alice, who had gotten older, and definitely prettier, in Kairi's mind.

_She was always pretty, for a child. But now she's just stunning._ She grinned to herself. _A sharp tongue on that one too._

Alice was nothing like the little girl she had been on Sora's first journey. She'd aged into a teenager, the same age as Sora, and had apparently become Queen of Wonderland…or something like that.

"_Kinda stopped caring after a while. Just bloody wanted to go home but noooo. Oh well, I've got minions! Every girl should have minions!"_

And minions she had. These strange, brown furred, extremely round creatures Seth called 'Waddle-dee'. Alice's advisor was apparently one of them, wearing a bandanna, named 'Fred'. He had apparently accompanied her through her journey through the Looking Glass, and had some odd power over time, that allowed her to, confusingly, re-do conversations with certain beings, should she have said or done the wrong thing.

But not only that, the girl had a _Keyblade_ as well! Claimed it appeared to her not long after she became Queen. And it was a good thing she had it.

Because then the heartless attacked.

And there, everyone learned that _Seth_ could call them. Or rather, he could call the _Purebloods_. As he explained it, for some reason, the strange Shadow heartless that had bonded itself to him, Miri, allowed him to be able to summon the Purebloods. And _only_ the Purebloods. In fact, he said that the Purebloods _didn't like_ the Emblems. They felt 'wrong' to their senses. But since they were of the same species, if not 'race' as he put it, they left each other alone.

Until Seth.

Through Seth, they were able to attack the Emblem Heartless, the 'fake' ones, as Seth explained.

"_They were created through false means. The Purebloods can sense this, so they tend to ignore the emblems for the most part. They only worked together when someone strong enough, like that Ansem asshat, appeared. But ultimately the Purebloods just ignore the others. Thanks to Miri though, now that I can kinda summon the Purebloods, and direct them, they're able to kill the other Heartless, cause they're unnatural, y'know? I can't say I'm too chuffed about the concept, but even I can sense these things aren't supposed to exist. It's just supposed to be __**Heartless**__. There was never meant to be any division."_

The Purebloods, as Seth had explained, and as Kairi had gathered, were natural creations of the Realm of Darkness. They existed just like humans did, or animals did. They were just there, and part of the natural order of balance. But the Emblems' existence tipped that balance. There was more Dark than Light now, because of them. And they captured hearts, not consumed them for sustenance and strength, like the Purebloods did.

"_It's why you never see a Pureblood release a heart. Those hearts are __**eaten**__, the same way we eat food. Emblem heartless don't consume the hearts, they seal them. Which is why the heart turns into an emblem heartless, and not a pureblood, when someone is killed at the hands of an emblem."_

He had theorized, that was how the Nobodies were born. They were killed by artificial darkness, a fake creation, thus, while the condition for 'Death' was met, in a sense, at the same time it wasn't. And that dichotomy allowed for a creature to spawn from the remnants of the lost body and soul, combined.

"_I dunno if you've ever seen someone become a Pureblood, but when it happens they __**become**__ the pureblood. The body melts into this…black goop, that then forms into a heartless. That's where the Shadows got their name from. Not just their ability to phase out of normal tangible space and run along the ground like someone's intangible but visible shadow; but because they are __**echoes**__ of existence. The shadows of people's hearts given form. That's why when you kill a pureblood, it bursts into vapors, rather than vapors __**and**__ a heart. Even with the Keyblade, a Pureblood heartless will only burst into wisps. With a Keyblade an Emblem will release the sealed heart, while without it, the heart will just kinda fade, before becoming an Emblem heartless again."_

Now, if it was just the heartless that had attacked, things wouldn't be the way they currently were. However…the _Other_ things attacked. The nameless ones. The ones that had caused Kairi's first Henshin.

And they were just as difficult to kill as before.

Many of the Waddle-dees had died. Many of the Card Soldiers had died. But slowly, the small invading force was dwindling, with Seth leading the attack.

…and then they fused. But they didn't fuse into what anyone thought they would.

_And because of that…Seth…_

They turned into one, _massive_, black, hairy **spider**.

One that spat lava, for no discernible reason other than _it could_.

And he _froze_.

Armor shattered, Keyblade vanished, he just stood there, staring at it as it got closer to him. The others had been farther away from where the creature formed, and they too had halted cause it was a damn _spider_ of all things.

But Seth…

_He just…stared at it. Can you believe that? I mean, I'd gotten that those had a really __**nasty**__ effect on him but…_

"**It's one thing to know it…and another to **_**see**_** it happen."**

_Exactly._

They watched him tilt backwards. He _fainted_. Fell completely unconscious.

Oh but that wasn't all. That shadow he'd bound to him, ripped out of his shadow in a rage. It _screeched_. None of them even knew that Shadows _could_ screech! But then, the ground was _saturated_ by **hundreds** of shadows. And they all _exploded_. And the one, Miri, stood on his chest, as a big, pulsing, _deadly_ ball of Pure Dark Energy gathered in front of it. And then Miri _ate _the ball.

And then she _spat it back out_. Only it was in the form of a **massive** beam. And an _equally_ massive explosion erupted from the impact point.

"**I'm just glad I was able to get you all to safety…" **_Yeah that wouldn't have been a fun way to go._

Kairi had screamed for Naminé's help, her Nobody grasping hold of the rampant channels of Darkness flowing around them from destroyed Heartless and dead Dees, opening a series of small Dark Gates to temporarily displace the group to evade the wall of _black_ that was coming right at them.

But after they returned to normal space…they didn't find Seth at all. And it was only Kairi's lingering sensation of his existence, that told them he was still alive. But he wasn't _there_.

It had gotten less intense, after their fight, but the Resonance Reaction was still present. Except that it wasn't. Which meant he wasn't on that world…wherever he was.

So, not knowing what to do, the group, save for Alice, who said she'd find some way to contact them if she found Seth – _"Cause that guy is a bloody __**demon**__ in a fight and I wanna see if he can teach me any o'that!"_ – had returned to the still recovering Disney Castle, to rest up and plan their next move. Or rather, everyone _but_ Kairi was going to plan their next move.

It had already been two days of rest, and helping out with the repairs, though the King and Queen tried to stop them. And Kairi felt it was time to put her plan into action.

"**You're really going to go through with this?" **_Yeah. It needs to be done. Plus…_ she smiled softly to herself. _Plus…I want to anyway._ **"I suppose it's only fair, considering the circumstances. But…do you really think it'll work?" **_You saw what I saw Naminé. If Seth can do it, I can too. Especially since there's already a link between us._ **"Alright. I'll leave you to it then." **Kairi grinned. _You sure you don't want to stick around? You might learn something._

"**I'm sure."** Was the clipped reply. Kairi gave a soft sigh at her Nobody, as the feeling of her presence faded to the depths of her soul. Poor thing was still depressed, not that she could be blamed for it.

_Oh well…I'll have to ask Alicia how she did that Object Materialization thing…might be able to do something like that for Naminé. …if we ever find Roxas, that is…_

She shook her head, to clear it of depressing thoughts. Now was not the time for despair! She was a girl on a mission.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door in front of her.

After a few seconds, she heard the sound of footsteps behind it, before it opened.

"…Kairi?" the occupant asked, confused.

"'lo Sora. Can I come in?" she requested.

"uhh…sure."

He stepped back, allowing her entrance.

"What is it, Kairi?" the brunette asked, confused.

Kairi gave a mysterious grin. "oh…not much." Suddenly, she waved her left hand and the door closed on its own. Sora blinked. _She…couldn't do that before…_

"That was a little parting gift, from Seth, a few days ago. Apparently I took a _liiittle _too much from him."

"So…you're telekinetic now?"

She shook her head. "Nope. It's _Gravity_. He can control and manipulate the concept of Gravity. I've just…got a bit of control over various pressure fields is all. Nowhere near his strength…on my own at least."

"Oh. That's cool. So uhh…was that all?" he was still confused.

"Nope." A flicker of light, and now her Keyblade was in hand.

"…Kairi…?" She just gave a wider grin.

"I have something to give to you, Sora."

The boy looked hesitantly between his girlfriend, and the weapon in her hand.

"What…would that be…?"

Until she pointed it backward, a stream of light coming from the tip, locking and _sealing_ the door.

The Keyblade vanished. Kairi gave an unusual grin.

"Me."

* * *

Her eyes snapped open.

_Wh-what…?_

Why did her body _tingle_? She looked down at herself, confused as to where her pants went. Why was her jacket spread wide open? _…why is my-…_

She stared at her right hand, noting the strange fluid clinging to her fingers, a sticky, off-white substance. She blinked, as she realized that red streaks were flowing along her body; following her veins, pulsing with the rapid beats of her fluttering heart. She watched, confused and yet _fascinated _at how the red streams seemed to slow, their glow dimming before tapering away, as her breaths calmed.

She felt the heat on her face, the sweat on her brow, as if she'd just run for quite some time. Confusion filled her, even though she subconsciously noted her muscles were lax in a way she'd never experienced before, and yet they were still _twitching_. What happened? How did she even _get_ back to her bed when the last thing she remembered was typing at that computer? She resolved to figure this mystery out. Xion flinched as she felt something damp underneath her. She looked down, noting that a small, nearly unnoticeable pool of that same substance was just under her bare rear.

…_but first…I'm going to take a __**long**__ shower…_

* * *

The figure stared with mild interest at their left hand. This liquid was…interesting. It clung to skin like honey, and when it pulled its fingers apart after rubbing them together, it seemed to stretch like a string. It was thick, heavy, sticky, and…the taste was definitely odd. Perhaps _this_ was what allowed humans to replicate the way they did.

It was certainly an odd sensation, going through those motions, the figure mused to itself. Not unpleasant either, once all thought was thrown to the winds. Definitely one worth repeating…under controlled circumstances of course. The figure shook its head, not seeming to care about the tresses of silver that barred their view. Upon sensing that unusual emotional buildup gathering in the off corner of his heart, the figure decided to take control over the situation.

He needed his rest, after all. Falling unconscious due to mental shut-down was not a pleasant experience. Who would have thought those annoying creatures could merge into the very thing that caused his mind to blank? It wouldn't do, for him to wake up shrouded in lustful emotions, for those were what was contained in that buildup. Especially since the poor fool had that damnable need to have some level of bond with a woman before he was willing to take her. _Or rather, share her body with his._ The figure shook its head again. Even when acting illogically, he had to go and be illogical about it. Still, the figure smiled. Something within, a distant memory just barely out of its grasp, considered that trait a welcome one.

So instead, the pale skinned being had grasped hold of the invading emotions, and drew them into itself. It was bound to his heart, thus, could perform acts like that, but only if he was deeply unconscious. To keep him safe from outside attack. That was its role. It didn't expect to be overwhelmed by it all, however. But it was for the best. In his weakened state, he'd be just broken down even further, descending into negative memories of a time when he could expel such base emotion, nearly at will.

The figure caught its reflection in the glass window, facing the perpetual night sky of The World that Never Was.

Looking itself over, the small child gave a soft noise of affirmation, as she absently licked the strange fluid off her fingers. How odd that such an unusual substance would come from that strange, stretchy pink hole between her legs. The fact that it seemed to be not just secreted by the hole, but summoned by both emotion _and_ touching that strange mound of raised flesh above said hole, confused her even further. She would have to look into his heart again, and see if she could glean any more information on the subject. She blinked and then turned as rapidly as she could without disturbing the other occupant on the bed. No…he was still unconscious. Good. It wouldn't do well for him to see what she was doing. Images fluttered through her mind of a long haired blonde woman doing the same thing with a saucy grin on her face.

The girl blinked again, before frowning, slightly irritated that once again her body was acting on its own. This is what humans had to deal with every day? Such powerful emotions capable of ripping the motor functions away from them, falling into base, genetic instinct. She felt…proud…of him now…now that she understood what he had to deal with. Outside of the fight with the Princess-human, he'd kept a tight leash on his emotions, letting them out in small bursts, through various means, trying to never let them get the better of him. She felt the blocks within his heart, forcing certain emotions to regulate, while others were drained away. She could easily bypass them, much like the Princess-human could, but she still felt them.

Yes…he was indeed special. She thought to herself, testing her fingers to make sure she'd cleaned them of all the odd liquid. And she knew, _she_ was special too. How else would she have been able to shed her shell as a Shadow and become…almost human? As she crawled on all fours, slipping under the stark white sheets, unconsciously smiling to herself when his arm wrapped around her and pulled her close, she felt…joy. She felt…safe. And home. These were human emotions. Emotions she felt from the very beginning, when she'd attacked him in that odd space.

He'd made her feel something other than hunger. The hunger that all her kind were meant to feel. The _only thing_ her kind were meant to feel. He made her _feel_. And that was unusual on its own. Binding herself to him was easy. _Too _easy. As if she was just slipping into an old, very familiar routine. As if doing so, was just a formality. And even when she popped out of his shadow for the first time, he just blinked at her. And when she mashed her head into his hand, she _felt_ his smile.

She gave a soft sigh of content. This was much more comfortable than sitting in his shadow. It was nice there, but this was much nicer. Oh she knew she would have to go back once in a while, after all, he could move faster than she could, and she would be much less in the way of his movements in his shadow than on his back or something. But she'd hoped, once he saw her new form, he'd let her stay outside more often, now that she wouldn't attract as much attention.

Still…it was a lucky find, to learn that _thing_ had a heart. And like any good Heartless, she devoured it. And when she did…_power_ flooded her very being. Not only that, but the creature melted into an _Invisible_ of all things! One of the most powerful of her kind! It was an even greater boon, for they were usually left to remain behind to guard the gateway to their world's core from invaders. Now, there were two more of them that were free to answer his call. It was irritating that it had survived the combined power of a thousand shadows, but t'was a boon anyway, for then she was free to consume its heart.

And after the power faded…she evolved. She thought she'd become the Neo, or maybe a Round…but no, she had evolved _differently_. She took the form of a human. She _did_ wonder why that was the case…as now her mind had developed much further than instinct and vague emotion. But regardless, it was a gift. One she would gladly treasure. She could still feel the Heartless, she could still manipulate the darkness the way her kind were capable of. But now she felt…_more_. As if she could do something beyond the normal Heartless. She was giddy with anticipation. She couldn't wait to show him her new form…to learn what she could do now.

Learn…knowledge…comprehension…

These were things the Heartless as a whole had no need of. They had their roles, they had their instincts, and that was all. But now she was more. And the light of his heart had granted her the same drive to understand that he had. And she looked forward to _learning_.

As the girl relaxed, smiling to herself, she faded into the grip of sleep – another concept foreign to her kind – with thoughts of that strange device he held, and questions fading in and out of her mind as to whether or not she could do something with it.

The smile on Miri's face, could it have been seen by any, would have warmed the heart of even the coldest, meanest human.

* * *

**A/N**: And thus we have the extremely long fourth chapter. Alternate title: SHIT HAPPENS.

Xion has a new keyblade, Kairi was overloaded by Seth's will, Seth and Kairi fight, and it all ends with the Shadow that bonded to Seth, becoming Human.  
Still more variations from the original. Many may be wondering why Aqua exists if all she's going to do is open her mouth once in a while. Right now, she's simply observing. Gathering information for herself. on top of which she exists in a much weaker state. the Keyblade she holds isnt her own, and she still is missing her armor. Her battle strength is diminished.

_Burn in the flames of hatred born from betrayal._  
_Embrace nothingness as resentment claims your shattered soul.  
__Crumble before the baleful gaze of the Dark Goddess.  
Take heed, and engrave her name upon your very soul.  
Last Word.  
**Amaterasu**_.

That is the translation of the incantation Seth/Kairi were saying. It was cobbled together Tia knows how long ago through various translation devices so its grammar and structure is probably off. If anyone knows better, feel free to inform me, i'd like to update it properly.

Not much to be said now. The next chapter is well on its way to completion. and there...is when shit starts getting real.


	6. Passing Through

(BGM: Final Fantasy XI – The Celestial Captial – Al'Taieu)

"So I've been to Agrabah, Wonderland and Halloween Town. Didn't find a blasted thing in Wonderland, unfortunately."

She just nodded.

"Other two didn't have anything either, as far as I could tell. Is there anywhere else you can think of?"

"…Beast's Castle…and…maybe…Radiant Garden."

"Alright, I'll put those on my list." Seth looked at his companion, who was fidgeting nervously.

"What's wrong."

She gave a start, flushed, and looked away.

"…a…little while ago…I woke up suddenly. My pants were missing…my jacket was wide open…I could barely breathe…and my hand was…sticky." She said, quickly and quietly, obviously extremely embarrassed about the whole situation.

Seth just gave the back of her head an odd look involving quirking an eyebrow while lowering the other. "…that's…unexpected but…sounds like you just had a good orgasm."

Unseen, she flushed heavier, before she banished it, shaking her head rapidly.

"I don't _remember_ how I got to my bed, Seth."

"Ok…scratch that, a **really** good orgasm." She didn't laugh, or squirm, or…really react at all. Clearly humor wasn't the answer. "So…you didn't walk back or teleport or…whatever the hell you do?"

She shook her head. "I only remember typing at the computer…and then everything is hazy, and next thing I know I'm coming to my senses…after."

"That's…uhh…yeah that's definitely a thing there…" Now, it'd been a little bit since he'd gotten any form of sexual action at all. But _not_ remembering anything in between one moment and then snapping to your senses the next while finding yourself drenched in your own bodily fluids _usually_ indicates foul play. Usually.

"…I'm scared…" Xion whispered.

"Eh? Xion that-

"It's just how it was…before. Things would happen and I wouldn't remember them. I don't…" she started sobbing. "I don't want to disappear again!"

He gently wrapped his arms around her, but she shoved him off before leaping at him and bawling into his chest. _Then_ he wrapped his arms around her, though silently he groaned cause he'd hit his head again. Reaching up he started stroking the back of her head while wondering what deity was constantly trying to cave his skull in.

"You're gonna be fine Xion. You won't disappear."

"But it's exactly the same!"

"Did you feel any weaker? Anything other than what you'd expect from getting off?"

Even through her tears she felt her face heat up. How was he so _casual_ about that? "N-no…"

"Well…unless something changes, we can only guess that was a one-off thing. Just relax Xion, things will work out. I'll make sure of it."

"…ino…" she mumbled into his shirt.

"Eh?"

"My name…Ino…"

He tilted his head.

"Thought one up did you?"

He felt her nod. "You can…call me whatever…but…I just…wanted you to know."

"You sure…? Giving someone your True Name gives them power over you."

"…it's alright. I trust you. I don't think you'd hurt me…on purpose at least. Well…without a good reason."

He felt something in his heart constrict. _Sweet Tia I've done it again…_ "Are…you sure you want to do that? I'm not exactly-

A finger to his lips cut him off. She looked up at him, through watery eyes, and gave a gentle smile. "I'm sure. You're the first person outside of Roxas and Axel…well, the _only_ person outside of them, to actually care about me. And I can…_feel_ it…in a way. So, I trust you. You gave me my hope back, after all."

"…I'll do my best to be worthy of that then." He said, solemnly. She gave a soft giggle.

"Silly, you already are. Even now you're still looking to bring me back. I trust you…and I believe you'll find it."

"Yeah…I'm not giving up."

She grinned. "See? Roxas was the same way…" she gave a soft yawn.

"Tired? Should get you to bed. At least this time you'd remember it."

She shook her head softly. "Can we…stay like this for a bit…?"

"Hmm?"

She flushed. "I…I like it here. It feels…safe…and warm…"

He gave a sigh. Not because he was against the idea, but because of a different issue. "I…" he sighed again. "If you fall asleep…I can't promise I'll be here when you wake up." Really, it played havoc with his emotions that such a cute little thing would be clinging to him the way she is. He really didn't want to disappoint her.

"It's alright. I'm just…really comfortable like this…"

A soft chuckle. "Yare yare…fine."

She let out a soft sigh of content. "Thank you…for everything."

"Don't thank me yet…still got a lot of work to do. But…that's my problem. Get some sleep…Ino."

Fading into the embrace of slumber, she smiled, as he called her name.

**Kingdom Hearts RE: Order**

**Chapter V: **_**Passing Through**_

"I'm giving you one final chance to leave. Alive. Now go. I want nothing to do with you, or anyone dealing with that group."

**SLAM**

And the door was slammed in Seth's face. Well fuck. He'd come here, to meet the lord of the Castle, called 'Beast' by Xion. A hulking demon monster man, who was a massive jerk but somewhere inside had a soft spot. He'd hoped to speak with the monster-man, to learn from him, and from his only other human occupant, Belle. But to his surprise, instead of a furry monster, a normal human appeared at the doors!

_I suppose that makes sense…it's been at least a year since Xion was around. He might have found a way to cancel the curse._

However, when Seth mentioned he needed to ask a few questions, and that they involved "the group of a certain spear wielding asshat", the man turned nearly _feral_. And the result, was Seth being locked outside, not a single question answered. He sighed heavily.

"Damn…alright, plan B…Miri."

Answering his call, a small child with long white-silver hair stepped out of his shadow.

He was definitely surprised to wake up with his arms wrapped around a naked child of all things, especially since the last thing he remembered prior to returning to Xion –_ Ino. Her name is now Ino._ – was…_it._ To his further surprise, the girl simply smiled at him, kissing him on the cheek and placing her forehead to his…and then he _learned_.

She was Miri. She had somehow evolved after consuming the heart – _those fuckers have hearts?! _– of the massive spider creature, after nearly blowing it to hell with what his memory called **'Imari'**. It was an act that cost a thousand Shadows, but for her, apparently, it was worth it. The heart had such power contained within, that it broke her body as a Shadow, and she gained flesh and blood, much like a human. Which…didn't even make sense to _her_. But she was still a Heartless…in some way. She still had complete control over Dark Energy, and could slip in and out of his shadow just as she was capable of before.

Only now…she was in a human state. And capable of higher thought process other than 'defend', 'kill', 'consume' and 'destroy.' Now she was capable of similar thoughts and emotions to humans…which _also_ made no goddamn sense. He had blinked at her in surprise, to discover one of the first acts she did as a human was to end up giving herself an orgasm. Which made even _less_ sense. That…was…an odd thing to watch, even if it was just a memory. Not exactly something he planned on ever doing again, if possible. _Now if she was about __**my **__age…wait…how the __**fuck**__ old am I anyway?!_

Regardless, now she was in far less a conspicuous form, capable of now walking around with him, rather than sitting in some dark corner of his heart. Nobody would suspect a small child to be a Heartless, except someone who could sense these things.

The girl looked up at him, clad in a black long-coat that was split open near the waist, a dark grey skirt, black hose and small black shoes, her yellow eyes staring at him, unblinking.

"Looks like we gotta take the backdoor. Think you can find Belle? She's a Princess of Heart."

Miri simply nodded, before hopping down the steps leading to the castle doors, and _looking_.

Within moments, she waved to get his attention.

"Found her?"

Nod.

"Alright, let's go then."

* * *

A woman hummed to herself, gently toweling off her hair. They were to have dinner soon, and she was in the middle of personal preparations. She frowned and stopped where she was, sensing something amiss. What was that odd…chilling sensation? Like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on her heart?

A deep **FWOOSH **echoed through her personal chambers, and the woman turned to see a black, oval shaped distortion appear right next to her bed, before it seemed to peel away like a fruit, revealing a young man and a small child. Upon seeing her naked form, the young man's eyes widened before his left hand came up and smacked his forehead, the youth releasing a low, irritated groan.

"Every single time. _Every _single _fucking_ time. God_dammit_ woman do you get off on my lack of a sex life? Seriously! Can I _not_ meet a woman – outside of Ino – without them being _naked_?"

Covering herself with her towel, Belle gave the young man a look of indignation, even as the small child he was with pat him on the leg gently.

"Excuse me? You appear in my room without warning and somehow **I** am at fault?"

He let out _another_ groan. "Not you, I wasn't…ugh _damn you Clotho!_ Damn you to the seventh hell of Saturn!"

"Who, exactly are you, and _why_ have you suddenly appeared in my room? And _why aren't you leaving yet?!_"

Seth sighed. Miri just looked on, bemused.

"My name is Seth, I wanted to ask you and the guy who was the Beast some questions but he shut me out cause I mentioned Xaldin (here, Belle's eyes narrowed) so I decided to cut the middle man and just ask you some things directly. But of course, some _higher power_ who is an absolute _twatbasket_ decided that I would show up while you were naked. Cause she likes to _do bullshit_ like that."

"You didn't answer my _last_ question." She spoke, clipped, though her ire was fading, since though that girl felt very…_dark_…he was giving off an odd mixture. And his seemingly pointless irritation was actually mildly amusing.

"I'm not leaving until I get some answers. Or at least confirm you don't know anything. After that, I'll make like a rabbit and fuck off."

"Hmph…fine. But turn around. I'm not some brothel girl for you to stare at."

"Aye aye…" He did so, with Miri still looking.

"…the child too."

"Eh?" He slightly angled his head, to see Miri still watching Belle.

"Miri, come on."

She shook her head. He frowned.

"…you don't trust her? …oh. Ah I get it. Don't worry about it, ok? She might be a Princess of Heart but she's got no combat experience. She's no threat to us."

She shook her head. He tilted his. And then he got it. She didn't understand _why_.

"Ahh, well, it'll make her feel better. See, humans have this annoying concept of _shame_. Gets in the way a lot. They're taught from a young age that looking at one another's naked bodies is somehow _bad_ or _wrong_. I'd say the looking part is fine, it's the unwanted physical contact part is where the limits should start."

She looked up at him. He felt her question.

"Why wear clothing anyway then? Well, it does more than just hide the body. It keeps the skin from getting irritated from Sunlight and the like. Humans are actually surprisingly frail creatures in a way. The skin keeps our muscles and organs safe, for the most part, but like any armor, the right circumstances can corrode it, weaken it. Clothing helps mitigate that, plus humans can only be in certain temperatures without protection for so long."

She nodded, slowly. She understood better now, but it didn't explain why she had to turn around.

"Remember…how you felt, when you fell asleep in my arms? Well, looking at her while she's undressed, makes her feel the _opposite_."

Miri turned to him, sharply. He nodded.

"It's not really her fault, she's been brought up to believe that's the feeling you're supposed to have, its hardwired into her brain, her instincts, like hunger or fatigue. It's an artificial concept, meaning it's easier to kill than the feeling of hunger, but as long as we look at her while she's undressed, she'll feel uncomfortable. And you know what power people like her can unleash when they're pushed, even if they aren't versed in battle."

She nodded again. And _this time_ she turned, though she did so reluctantly. How was she to defend him against incoming attack if she couldn't look where he wasn't?

Belle watched the exchange with mild amusement. The way he spoke, reminded her of a father speaking to his offspring.

"Is she…yours?" She couldn't help but ask.

"Miri? Uhh…no…but…at the same time, kinda? It's a really long and convoluted story. And no offence but it doesn't really matter to you in the end. Chances are unlikely that after we leave you'll see us again. We're just passing through."

"I see. I suppose that's fair enough." She spoke, deciding to begin her dressing ritual. "Very well, what is it you wanted to ask me?"

"Ok…do you remember much about when that asshat Xaldin was around?"

She frowned, sliding on her lower undergarments. "No…only that he was basically manipulating Adam. Eventually that boy Sora came along and dealt with him, however."

"Ok, how about before he showed up? Xaldin I mean. Do you recall seeing anyone else dressed like him?"

She screwed up her face in concentration, trying to think back. "No…"

"Nothing at all?"

"I remember…I thought I heard voices…or maybe just one…but…"

"Was it a girl's voice?"

"…perhaps…? I know I thought I at least heard the voice of a young man but…"

"Damn…" _I guess she was better hidden than she thought._ "Alright…ok this is gonna sound strange but it's kinda important. Do you know anyone who is well versed in the concepts of Life and Death?"

_Life and Death? That's a rather…specific question._ "…no. I can't say I…" She trailed off, before she actually realized she _did_ have an idea of someone like that.

"Actually, now that I think about it, I recall a man that Maleficent had employed, prior to my unconsciousness. I believe he was called Ha…des…from what I remember, he hailed from somewhere known as the Underworld. I believe he called himself the Lord of the Dead."

_Jackpot._

"Indeed? Thank you then. That's exactly what I was looking for."

"I suppose you will be leaving then? No plans to stay for dinner? Judging from the smell I'd factor it's almost finished."

"Thank you for the kind offer, but we might be on a bit of a time limit. Besides, it wouldn't do well to show up with the guy that your boyfriend basically told to fuck off now would it?"

Belle gave a soft giggle. "No, I suppose it wouldn't. Very well. And you claim you won't likely return?"

"Probably not. I've gotten all the information I needed – thanks again for that – and there's no reason for us to come back unless something happens."

"I see. Well then, I wish you good luck on your journey."

He gave a small grin. "Hear that Miri? Maybe with the blessing of a Princess of Heart we'll pull this off." The little girl nodded, before poking at the air.

Belle watched the shadowy gateway form, as Seth waved goodbye with a raised hand and an odd flick of his wrist, before the two stepped through the Dark Corridor.

As soon as they left, her door opened.

"Why did you answer his questions, Belle?" spoke Adam, lord of the castle.

"Because one, we do _not_ need a repeat of the last time you turned someone away, and two, the sooner he got what he was looking for – without violence, I might add – the sooner he was willing to leave. Sometimes, it's best to just give someone what they seek, in order to keep peace, love."

"Perhaps, but he mentioned Xaldin. I don't trust that."

"And neither did I, to be honest. But though that child he was with was dressed similarly to that…awful man, he wasn't. And he felt like an actual _being_, compared to Xaldin, who felt like moving empty space."

"You invited him to dinner." He said, pointedly.

"Yes. It was the courteous thing to do. As well, he seems like a pleasant boy. A bit of a foul mouth on him but we don't know his story as to why he would speak so casually. You do not have the same power I do, Adam. I could sense his heart. A strong darkness lie in wait with the girl alone, and his essence spoke of equal parts Darkness and Light. He clearly wished for answers to his questions, and someone with that level of power could have easily defeated you, especially since you no longer hold that powerful form of yours."

"…yes…I suppose you are correct."

"Of course I am. Besides, I felt nothing but truth when he stated we were unlikely to see them again. So let us put it behind us and enjoy our meal."

"Very well dear."

* * *

Yet another day had passed. The restoration of the castle was coming along smoothly, the help of Kairi and her newfound power along with the magics wielded by the others – save Alicia, who held no true offensive spells, much to her chagrin – sped the process up. Kairi was still a bit sore from the previous night's…activities, but she decided to assist, all the same.

T'was now evening, and the group, along with the King and Queen, had settled down for dinner.

"Thanks a lot for all your help guys. It's really making the repairs go much faster." The king spoke.

"It was mostly my fault anyway…"

"No…it was…bad positioning." Riku said, trying hard not to just out and blame Seth like he used to. Having your best female friend shove a Keyblade practically up your nose for badmouthing someone who didn't deserve it was _quite_ the eye opener.

"Perhaps…" Kairi agreed, sadly.

"Have you sensed him at all lately, Kairi?" Minnie questioned.

Kairi shook her head. "No…not since Wonderland. No messages, no resonance…I can…just barely sense his existence in general but…nothing solid. It's like he's hidden somewhere…"

"He's most likely doing whatever it was he was trying to do." Aqua said.

"You know what he is attempting?" Minnie asked.

"Alicia's got more of an idea than any of us, but she's been sworn to secrecy." Sora stated.

"Oh? Can't you get the information straight from him?" The Queen suggested.

"No…he's…able to hide it."

Mickey and Minnie froze.

"Wh-what?"

Kairi nodded. "I learned that…he's able to hide just _that_ information. He can't hide anything else from me…just that. He says it's because it's not entirely his secret to tell, so he's able to put everything he has into keeping it from me. I…when I found out…I had a hard time trusting him for a little bit…but Naminé helped me realize that at any point, he could have done whatever he wished with me. He had power over me…and chose not to use it. Not even to threaten about using it. You learn a lot…about a person…when they have power."

Minnie slowly nodded. "Yes…yes I can see how that would help…" she was still troubled though. "But…even so…he shouldn't be able to keep things from you…"

"No, he shouldn't…but he also apparently shouldn't be alive either. There's a lot of things about him that 'shouldn't' be. And yet are. Besides, we at least know what he did with the piece of the Cornerstone he took."

"We do?" Sora asked, confused.

"…me." Alicia stated. "He used it to bring me back to life."

Kairi nodded. "Yeah. He brought her back to help with his not-so-little task…but realized that wasn't fair."

Alicia nodded as well. "He let me choose, if I wanted to stay with him, or go home. He's…very lonely. But he doesn't seem to like the thought of stripping someone of their free will."

"I dunno you guys…he might be bad news…" Mickey said hesitantly.

"He might…but I don't think he is." Sora said. "Honestly from the sounds of it, whatever his plan is, it doesn't really involve us at all."

"Alicia has a vague idea from what little she knows." Kairi said.

Alicia nodded to that. "That's true. I think I might know what he's trying to do. I think he's trying to bring something, or someone, into reality. He said he made a promise to someone, and the few things we were looking up before we left that strange castle, seemed related to creating something. I believe he's attempting to materialize something that may have existed at one point, but nobody knows about it save for him."

"What tipped you off?" Mickey asked.

"The fact that though it was vague and general, the things he was describing sounded much like a process in my world called Object Materialization. Essentially you take the conceptual essence of a being, match it with psychic residue on an object, like a sword or bow, and materialize the person that object belonged to. They have their memories and personality from when they were alive, as well as whatever skills they had prior to their death. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if that strange creature he holds with him gave him the idea…"

"Strange creature?" Minnie asked.

"He can summon a Heartless. A Shadow. He calls it Miri."

"He can control the heartless?!" Mickey exclaimed.

"Just the…ahh, Purebloods." Alicia confessed. "He claims that Miri came to him and attacked him while he was in a strange space, but she left him alone after he reprimanded her. After that point, she was…tamed, for lack of a better term."

"It was really weird watching it rise out of his shadow, but it seems to want to protect him, for some reason. When I…had a bad reaction to the fact that he can keep a secret from me, it appeared, and was going to attack, but he called it off. And at Wonderland, when that big spider thing appeared, and he fell unconscious, Miri showed up again, and blew it to hell." Kairi explained.

"Almost took us out with it too…" Riku added.

"Well…it _was_ a pretty huge explosion…" Kairi said sheepishly.

"I don't think he had any control over Miri at that point. She seemed to be focused only on his survival." Alicia stated.

"Either way…she's powerful. But as long as we aren't his enemies…I don't think we have to worry about that power being turned on us."

* * *

"Whaddya want now Jerkules?"

A dark…fleshed man stood behind a large round grey stone table. This man was Hades, Lord of the Dead. His skin was currently a dark blue, along with the flame coming off of his skull, seeming like hair. Clothed in a black robe, he gave a bored look to his occupant.

"Phil told me there were Seers talking about an Oncoming Darkness."

The other, was Hercules, son of Zeus and Hera, stripped of his godly immortality at birth and tasked with becoming a 'hero' to reclaim it.

"Wait-wait-wait, lemme guess. You came by to visit and see if I've got something to do with it."

"Uh…well yeah."

"Didn't you get the memo? I'm taking the week off. Sheesh you try to get some vacation time and everyone's bothering you."

"Since when do you take vacations?"

"Since I felt like it, that's when."

"Sorry to interrupt."

And both occupants turned to the arrival of a third person. He was garbed in clothing that was foreign to them…but sparked memories of a certain Key wielding brunette.

"Really I'll leave you two to your lover's spat in a bit."

Hercules sputtered wildly, immensely offended.

"You got balls comin in here like that kid. Whaddya want?"

"Just a question for the Lord of the Dead, is he in?" Seth asked.

"Yer talking to him kid. But you should know that…unless…"

"Aye, I'm not native to this world. Nice place you got here. Bit too Halloween Party for my tastes but to each his own, yeah?"

"You didn't come here to talk décor. Spit it out."

Really, couldn't the guy get some vacation time here? Just a week without people barging in. It was enough to make a lesser God pissy!

"Like I said, I have a question. I want to know…if you know a way to make Life. And not in the _normal_ way."

"Why're you asking me, kid? I'm the _Lord of the Dead_."

"That's why I'm asking you. You've probably had _plenty_ of people trying to jack one of your dead and bring them back. I wanna know how to do it…just without the whole 'subject was dead' part."

"Tons of ways. Depends on how dirty you wanna get doing it." Hades said flippantly. If he were to be honest, the boy interested him.

"I'd prefer a way that keeps my soul intact. And with minimal amounts of Ungodly Horrors being unleashed. One or two might not be an issue but a friggin flood? That's just _hell_ to clean up."

"Don't I know it? You make one bad deal and suddenly eeeeveryone's on your ass to fix the mess. Eesh that's what Heroes are for." Hades agreed. Yep. Definitely interesting.

"Exactly! So why bother even giving them the ammunition?"

"I like the cut of your jib, kid. Alright lemme think…aha! Now, it's been a while since I've seen it, but there's these things, they're little ball shaped crystals, called Materia. You with me so far?"

Seth nodded.

"Well, they tend to multiply when you use 'em a lot, but there's one in particular, called, boringly enough, 'Life.' Does exactly what its name says, brings life to the lifeless, know what I mean?"

Seth's eyes widened. "_In~_deed. Hate to impose further but do mind telling me where I could find one?"

"You're lucky I like you kid. Last I checked some chick at a place called Radiant Garden had some. Think her name was…Yuni? Yuki? Gah, something like that. Loud, obnoxious, sometimes shows up top for their little tournaments. Cute little thing though, packs a decent punch too."

"Not much to go on…"

"Details, who need's 'em?"

"Fair enough. Thanks."

"Alright kid I answered yours, so I got a question of mine."

"Go ahead."

"What do you need something like that for, and who in the name of Me are you?"

"As to the first…I'm trying to do something impossible. Like, _really_ impossible. As to the second…"

A wave of chains wrapped around his waist, before turning into a belt. A haunting tune, much to Hades' delight, began to echo through the chamber. The young man slipped a shard of what looked like grey crystal into his belt.

"Henshin."

_**Crow Form**_

The armor formed around him in a blaze of shattered grey light. As the light cleared, a pair of glowing violet rectangles flared to life behind a black visor.

"I'm just a passing through Kamen Rider." Hades' eyes narrowed.

"Y'know, there's a funny little thing about this place. A little rule I made and keep in effect called 'Heroes powers don't work down here.' Rather ironic how for some reason _yours_ do." Hades spoke with a building angered rumble.

Behind the helmet, Seth just smirked.

"Good thing I'm no hero then. Keep that in mind."

* * *

**SLAM**

The black haired ninja gave a loud groan. This was _bad_. She'd come to investigate the computer room in the depths of the Castle, on a warning report that someone was hacking into it. Whoever it was, had bypassed all protections and passwords in a single shot, and was accessing data even Tron didn't know that could be accessed! Not a single known password was used, it was as if someone had simply turned off all the defenses! Even the city's defense grid stopped working, which was a decidedly _bad_ thing considering suddenly a huge amount of Heartless had appeared.

It surprised her that she didn't run into any, on her mad dash to the computer room. She didn't know much about the technology (hey, give her some credit, she was learning…slowly) but she _was_ the fastest sprinter in town. She had to be. She was a _ninja_ for cripes sake. But when she got to the computer room, she was immediately slammed into by a tall, dark, and _freaky_ shape.

It looked like a human shadow…worse was that it seemed to have a carving in its chest in the shape of a heart. Glowing yellow eyes gazed at her, as if peering into her soul.

"Wh-who are you?" She choked out.

"_**Who We are is of no importance. Who you are, is. What is your name?"**_

Its voice…chilled her to the core. It sounded like some demented hybrid fusion of a young man and a small girl, speaking as one. Were she not so surprised, and actually afraid, she'd have realized sooner that she wasn't dealing with a normal heartless, based on the fact that it could _talk._

"Why should I tell you?!"

"_**Things will be much easier if you do."**_

"Bite me!"

She lashed a foot out at her attacker, only to have it grabbed in a crushing embrace. It took all of her self-control not to cry out in pain as the connected leg was lifted up over its shoulder.

"YUFFIE!"

It tilted its head. _**"You are the one We seek. Tell Us. Where is the Life Materia?"**_

"What?" Life Materia? What would a heartless want with that? It was the most powerful healing Materia out there. "What do you want with that?"

"_**It is of no importance to you. We require it. Where is it?"**_

"Like I'll tell you." She scoffed.

"_**Your cooperation would be preferred."**_ The strange man-child-creature thing said. She just glared at it. _**"Very well."**_

To her surprise, it let her go. Unfortunately, said surprise lasted a mite longer than she wanted it to. For just as she got her bearings back, she was plowed into by an invisible, and _powerful_ force. She was _stuck_ to the wall, unable to move, barely able to even _breathe_. What _was _this thing?! It spoke like a human, even if its voice was strange, but it looked like a heartless! A deep **FWOOOSH** and in a large pitch black distortion, to her immense fear, an _Invisible_ appeared.

"_**It would seem you do not realize the depth of your position. You will cooperate. One way, or the other."**_

"Wh-what…you gonna kill me?"

"_**That would be contrary to Our plans. Your death would be meaningless. We would merely have to find another to fill your place. This world can be plunged into Darkness. We merely would wait and see who survived, and interrogate them. We have control of this situation. Your cooperation would prevent the end of many. Where is the Life Materia?"**_

Yuffie began to sweat. This…thing…was speaking so _pointedly._ As if everything it said was definite.

And that _terrified _her.

"M-my friends-

"_**Are busy combating Our forces. Distracted, as We wish them to be. Our hordes are endless, as well, they lack a weapon to completely destroy them. Whatever they kill, will merely return later."**_

The Heartless knew they couldn't be fully destroyed?! They were self-aware?! The very concept sent shivers down Yuffie's spine. It scared her further, to realize this thing was _right_. And eventually, her friends would become exhausted…they would be killed. Without the Keyblade, the Heartless were effectively immortal, in the sense that you could destroy one, but it would simply return later. But as she thought, there was one small hope.

"We _have_ a Keyblade. He-

"_**Is on a different world than this. As well, We control all methods of communication. If We do not wish it, He will not come. Your struggles are meaningless. Futile. Answer with what We seek, and We shall end this charade."**_

That…wasn't good. That wasn't good at _all_. Worse, the thing began to approach her. Slowly she felt her legs spreading of their own accord. Her eyes widened in horror as the creature stepped closer, and closer. The Invisible had relinquished its blade to the creature, the blue sword being held in its right hand. And then she felt the _hands._ She could barely look down upon herself, but she _saw_ the tiny hands and claws of Shadows, reaching up from small black portals around her. They were grabbing at her, groping at her arms and legs.

And then she knew _true _fear.

She stared into the eyes of the creature, knowing _exactly_ what it was planning.

What _was_ this thing, that it would know how to scare her so perfectly? This was a _human_ tactic! The Heartless were mindless creatures of Darkness, seeking to consume the hearts of all. When had they suddenly gained _human_ intelligence?! She flinched as suddenly a claw lashed out and sliced open her shirt. The flinch became a tremble as the creature placed its blade right between her legs.

"Y-you said…you weren't going to kill me…!"

"_**We have ways of keeping you alive. There are far worse things than death, after all."**_

The creature nudged the blade closer. She snapped.

"I DON'T HAVE IT!"

The creature tilted its head.

"_**Then who does?"**_

She shook her head wildly. She said too much already! But…

She didn't want to die. She didn't want _any_ of this to go any further.

But what was the point in resisting? If this thing was right…

…_If._

"_**We sense the direction your thoughts are taking. You are to attempt to cling to the hope that somehow, We are incorrect. A valid tactic, however it is futile. We have planned this, and thus far, all is going according to plan, including variances. Your allies are cornered, your world's defenses are under our control. In fact…"**_

The creature tilted its head, as if coming to a decision. It relinquished hold on the blade…but the blade was still there. It turned, and walked to the computer, before typing in a few keys. An emotionless voice, as if all of Tron's will was drained from him, spoke.

"**Radiant Garden Defense System…Active."**

The creature _chuckled_, before turning around back to her.

"_**And now, the defenders will have to contend with their own protective systems turning against them."**_

But Yuffie saw a flaw in that plan.

"Th-that'll just bring them _here_! Even if they can't kill you, they can still beat the _crap_ out of you!"

The creature chuckled again. _**"You believe this to be a failure in Our thought process. If We were to be any other, you might be correct. But we know that our allies cherish your existence. They will come, to see you, injured, and We, with control. Should you decide to extend your torture, they will be forced to bargain for your existence. The Life Materia…for **__**your**__** life."**_

She was…stunned. That…would likely be the case if they came.

"_**Of course this all presumes they survive the gauntlet."**_

The defense array wasn't…_horribly_ powerful, but they'd never tested it on non-heartless or even Nobodies before. Combined with the heartless that this…_thing_ was flooding the world with…

The creature grasped the blade again. She couldn't help but gasp as the cold steel pressed right against a _very_ specific location on her lower body.

"_**Tell Us something, Yuffie Kisaragi." **_She flinched as somehow it _knew her full name._ _**"Have you ever been…We believe the human term is 'fucked'…before?"**_

For a moment, her eyes widened, before she forced her fear down. "Y-yeah." She said, with as much hatred as she could muster. She could at least deny it _that._ It was true. There was a guy once…he turned out to be a total sleazebag but…

"_**Indeed." **_Strangely, the pressure around her…_changed_. She wouldn't have been able to put a name to it other than…_danger_. _**"How about with a **__**sword**__**?"**_

And then she realized what it planned to do. It…wouldn't…_would it?_

It pulled back its blade. Her eyes widened. She watched its wrist tense.

And she _broke_.

"AERITH!"

It stopped.

She sobbed. "A-Aerith has it…"

"_**Describe this…Aerith."**_

"Sh-she's…taller than me…brown hair…bright…bright green eyes…" she sobbed out.

"_**Is she 'pretty'?"**_

Yuffie shook her head, tears running down her face. "N-no…she's _beautiful_. The…the most beautiful woman I've ever met…"

The creature tilted its head. _**"You are jealous." **_It spoke, pointedly. She stared at it, in shock. "N-no! I…"

"_**We see into your heart, Yuffie Kisaragi. You are jealous of Aerith. For her beauty, for her skill with magic. For her patience and calm. You wish you could be more like her."**_

Oh _god_ this was horrible! This…this _thing_ was reading her like a _book!_ She could do nothing but slowly nod, not even noticing that it drew the sword away. It was her deepest secret. A small, flame of envy burned in her heart. It wasn't strong enough to cause negative feelings, save towards herself, but it was enough to catch the creature's attention, apparently. People _listened_ to Aerith, when she spoke. They hung off her every word. She had this way…of making you pay attention, because you wanted to _savor_ the sound of her voice. She was beautiful, mature, _powerful_.

Everything Yuffie felt _she_ wasn't.

"_**We have found her."**_ Yuffie was forcefully drawn from her internal thoughts. Suddenly, the pressure around her faded, and she dropped from the wall, only to be grabbed around the waist, by the creature.

"_**You, are coming on a brief journey."**_

* * *

So many heartless! And five minutes ago, the damn defense system turned on them! What the hell was Yuffie doing?!

A wave of fire ripped from the palm of a tall, brown haired man with a long scar across his face. This man was Leon, and he was the unofficial leader of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee. …why the hell he let Yuffie name them that he'll never know. But he held a strange sword, swinging it expertly, cutting down many Shadows at once. This was a "gunblade" a strange weapon that combined a pistol or revolver with a sword, using the vibration of pulling the trigger to deliver a stronger strike.

It was not He, though, that first noticed something amiss with the battle.

The others, Cloud, a spiky blonde haired man with a massive blade; Tifa, a woman with considerably large breasts, capable of immense strength and skilled in martial arts; Cid an older blonde man with a massive spear and almost constantly with either a toothpick or cigarette in his mouth; and Aerith, a brunette with a double-headed staff, all battled the hordes of heartless attacking the town square.

It was Aerith, that noticed the Shadows were backing off. Not vanishing, but stepping away from their combatants.

And then with a deep **FWOOOSH** a Dark Corridor opened. And out of it stepped what looked like a Man wearing armor made from pure shadow…and struggling in his grip, was-

"Yuffie!"

The Shadows had all stepped back, forming a moving ring around the group and the new arrival. Leon cursed to himself. She'd gotten caught.

_Wait…why is her shirt cut open…?_

"_**Human defenders of Radiant Garden. We have, as you witness, one of yours. We request a trade. We shall give you this girl, in return for one thing."**_

"You're not getting the heart of our world!" Cid shouted.

"_**The World's Heart…? We care not for that. We request, the Life Materia."**_

They all blinked. Wait what? It…_wasn't_ after the World's Heart?

…wait a minute…it could **TALK?!**

"The hell'd you need something like that for?!" again, Cid shouted at the creature.

"_**That is not your concern. It is what We seek. And We hold, something you value."**_

While the creature was talking, Aerith was looking at Yuffie. She looked…roughed up. Generally unharmed, though she wasn't happy about that _obviously_ deliberate cut through her shirt. A near hit in battle would not be so…_clean_. And even if it were a vertical chop, there would not be a _straight_ line. And this was perfectly straight. No curve at all. Which means it was _intentional_.

Which meant they were dealing with something _beyond_ a heartless. As if it weren't obvious with the way it _spoke_ in human tongue. Let alone the strange duality of its voice.

Aerith's eyes widened, as she realized she had zoned out while the two parties were arguing. She had gasped, as the creature's hand became enveloped in a black distortion, Yuffie beginning to rise of her own accord. It was going to do something to her, perhaps as a show of force, or maybe to tip the scales in its favor. Yuffie was a friend, a little sister to Aerith. She couldn't just let it happen.

"WAIT!" She called out. The creature paused, and _everyone_ turned to her.

"I'll give it to you. Just don't hurt her." She said.

"Aerith, you can't-

"I _can't_ let Yuffie get hurt, Leon! Besides…" She looked at the creature. "We have more than one anyway."

It tilted its head.

"_**Is there variance in strength between them?"**_

Aerith nodded. "Yes. One is at its maximum potential. The other is…perhaps half as powerful." What was she _doing?!_ Why was she telling it all this?

"_**We appreciate your honesty. This means We will not need to return. We request the stronger of the two."**_

Aerith nodded. "I figured as much." She reached a hand to her heart, before gripping thin air. Slowly, a small green sphere appeared, shimmering brightly. "This is it."

Suddenly a Shadow leapt up and snatched it out of her hand, before vanishing into a small distortion. That same distortion appeared, seconds later, next to the creature, the Shadow giving the strange being the Materia.

"_**Indeed. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter." **_And then the creature _threw_ Yuffie at her. Aerith panicked for a second before Yuffie's flight seemed to slow considerably, allowing the older woman to catch the young ninja. The creature disappeared in a wave of Darkness, the Shadows vanishing with it.

But Aerith couldn't pay attention to that.

For in her arms, was a sobbing Yuffie.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…"

* * *

Another day of sparring and construction passed. Kairi had suggested a few days prior that they take some time to relax, see if perhaps Seth would contact her. During this time, she wished to train with Aqua and the others, to better learn not just the way of the Keyblade, but combat in general.

"_I took a lot of memories from Seth on how to fight, but I need to practice them or else I'll just be all over the place. I could only keep up with him because I was basically letting him direct me without him knowing it."_ At the day's end, they would usually have dinner with the King and Queen, where someone would raise a random topic of conversation or debate. This time, it was Alicia that started a topic.

"Umm…if it's not too much trouble…"

Attention was on her. "I'd…like to go to Valhalla."

"Getting tired of us already?" Riku quipped with a wry grin on his face.

Alicia smiled and shook her head. "Oh no, nothing of the sort. I enjoy spending time with all of you, truly. It's merely that…I'd like to at least let the others know I'm alive again. And it would be prudent to warn them of the things we've fought."

Mickey nodded. But Sora piped up first. "Actually, it'd probably be a good idea to go find your world's Keyhole and lock it. Keep the Heartless to a minimum."

"Oh yes…I never thought of that." Alicia admit.

"Can you imagine what would happen if Odin got taken down by a heartless?" Kairi asked. "He'd be strong enough to turn into a Nobody…can you imagine a Nobody with the powers of a God? It'd be chaos!"

"Sounds like you guys have a plan then." Mickey spoke.

"It's such a pity I couldn't find anything on those strange creatures, however…" Minnie said sadly.

"It's alright…Maybe next time we run into Seth he'll know more about them." Kairi said, hoping to cheer the Queen up.

"Has there still been no word?" Minnie asked.

Kairi shook her head. "No…he's _still_ nearly invisible to my senses. I'd be worried something happened to him but I still get occasional faint pulses."

"Are you…certain…it's not merely lingering Psychic Energy…?" Alicia asked, hesitantly.

"Does lingering Psychic Energy feel different than continuous?" Kairi countered.

"…yes…actually. It feels like old emotions…it's…honestly hard to describe. It's like an echo. Not entirely there, but enough to tickle the senses. Active energy feels more…fresh…I would say. 'Louder' for lack of a better word."

"Then I'm certain. It feels…too recent. And I'm pretty sure that if something happened to him that pushed him near death, I'd feel it."

"Yeah, Kairi's right, actually. We never did tell you the reason why the castle was so messed up did we?" Sora questioned.

Alicia tilted her head.

"Kairi had a severe Resonance Reaction. Seth, though he was nowhere near here at the time, formed a Synchronicity Chain with her." Minnie said.

"Synchronicity Chain?" Alicia parroted.

"It is one of the highest forms of psychic resonance. In that state, two or more essences are completely entwined, in a manner where they are mimicking one another perfectly. Kairi was overcome by Seth's will, and attacked us all."

Alicia frowned. "Wait…when did this happen?"

"About a week or so ago. A few days before we met you and Seth at the Dark City."

Alicia's eyes widened. "That was…Did…did Kairi just start spewing vulgarity left and right suddenly?"

"Yes." Minnie spoke.

"And…were there black flames?"

"Yes actually, how did you-

"I was there, when it happened." Alicia spoke firmly.

"Wait a second, you were with him when he went…crazy?"

Alicia nodded. "It wasn't so much him going Crazy…as it was we were trapped. We'd went to that castle to look for something tied to what he's trying to accomplish. But we met a strange woman in black robes who attacked us with powerful magic."

"Maleficent!" Sora exclaimed.

"Yes…I think that's what he called her…when he wasn't calling her 'that damn cunt' or 'stupid crazy bitch.'" Alicia spoke.

Inside her mind, Naminé snorted. **"Yeah, that sounds rather accurate from what I saw."** Kairi absently nodded.

"He tried to reason with her, but she wouldn't listen. She kept raving about how the castle was 'hers' and nobody else would have it. Well…she defeated both of us soundly, and was trying to burn us to death. But Seth somehow…created some sort of barrier, that stopped the flames. But it was still hot. My leg was injured after her first attack…and I was still rather exhausted. And the next thing I know…he's basically crying one moment, and the next, the flames were blown away, he's holding a different looking Keyblade, and suddenly gained power beyond hers." She said.

"Yes…that must have been when Kairi was overcome by his will. I believe she was speaking what he was thinking…that was the first sign of the connection going far deeper than it had before." Minnie pondered.

"And then she almost killed us." Riku muttered. Kairi looked down, sadly.

"It wasn't her fault Riku." Sora chastised. Riku blinked. "Huh? Oh, crap. No, I didn't mean it like that. It was just a statement was all. Hell…if you two were up against Maleficent, I can't say I'm surprised he went overboard."

Alicia nodded, slowly. "He almost killed me as well. It was very fortunate that I'd taken cover on a wall just below a shop window. The sheer force of his final attack blew the glass out before the flames hit. As it was my clothes were ruined, and I had to give myself an impromptu haircut. But otherwise, I was generally unharmed. I never really asked him about it…I presumed it was none of my business…perhaps I should have..." She wondered.

Kairi shook her head. "…no…that was…the **Amaterasu**. It was the _Ultimate_ spell of Revan's."

"Revan?" Mickey asked.

"His sister. Or…rather a girl who called him 'brother', honestly. There was no blood relation between the two, but they were as close as family. She was a powerful Fire Mage, and she held her own Keyblade as well. His memories of her are…scattered, but strong. But…that doesn't make sense. They were very_ very _close, but neither of them had truly touched hearts. So him being able to wield the Amaterasu should be impossible…"

"I don't think he knows he did." Alicia said.

"No…no he doesn't. He doesn't even know the Islands were destroyed." Kairi confirmed.

"Wait, how does he not know that by now?" Aqua asked, originally content to just observe. "I thought you two shared information while we were there."

"We did…but…he was looking for something specific. He wasn't just gathering random information, he was looking for very specific knowledge. Whereas I was just grabbing whatever I could. I wanted to know everything, he wanted to know _something_. So I got more out of that link than he did." Kairi explained.

"What about the second time? After your fight…y'know…when you kissed him." Sora asked.

The King and Queen were surprised to hear that. "You _kissed_ him?" Minnie spoke aghast.

Kairi flushed. "It was the only way to get my point across at the time! He was being stubborn…and insufferably honorable. It was after I'd flipped on him about the Secret he was hiding. And he seemed to get…really depressed. But he accepted my choice then. It wasn't until Naminé knocked some sense into me did I push the issue, and he just wanted things to be dropped. So…when I basically refused to leave, he tried to make me. But I had Naminé basically…hacking his mind. So while we were fighting, she was telling me what he was going to do just before he did, and was giving me access to his powers and skills."

"Wasn't…he fighting you though? Inside and out I mean." Mickey asked.

"Yes. But Naminé is a separate entity in my heart. He was able to block me, but he couldn't block _her_, because she was acting as a bridge between us. Honestly…I think we were both irritated with him. Seth and I, I mean. I was irritated because I wanted to understand him, and he was pushing me away. and I think he was irritated with himself for depending on me for information."

"So…why'd you kiss him?" Mickey asked, cutting straight to the point.

"Well, he'd had me pinned after a failed attack of mine. And Naminé was still hacking him, so I had an opening to him, through her. So I kissed him to throw him off guard…and it worked. After that, I had full access to his heart again because for a brief moment, he wasn't able to focus on keeping me out. So I _made_ him understand how I felt. And he did. I think it was because of the Synchronicity Chain, but at that point, in order for us to have a fully active link to one another, we just needed _any_ meaningful contact. Where originally one of us had to be touching the other's heart. And whoever was doing the 'touching', had control over the link." Kairi explained.

"And because you two had synchronized so deeply at one point, you no longer needed to physically be touching hearts, just be touching?" Minnie asked.

"I think so."

"So the kiss was two-fold. One, to throw him off guard mentally, and two, to provide the required contact to create an active link." Minnie mused.

"Exactly. He and I both know there was nothing else behind it except an eye opener for him. Though…I kinda feel a bit guilty." Kairi confessed.

"You should. Isn't Sora-

"Nah I'm cool with it." Sora said. "She…convinced me not to worry about it."

Mickey and Minnie shared a look, having an idea of _how_ she might have convinced him.

"No…I felt guilty about _him_." Kairi explained. "Alicia's right, he's very lonely. You would be too if you woke up after thinking you were dead, only to remember that everything and everyone you cared about _was_ dead, and you weren't. It's the main reason why I agree with Alicia's theory that he's trying to bring someone back. It might be one of the people he knew before he died."

* * *

Hercules was long gone. It was just Hades, sitting on his throne in the Underworld.

"So…that was him eh?" The God of Death spoke to seemingly nobody.

But there _was_ someone. Or rather, someone's essence.

"_**Yes. It was."**_

"I expected someone taller. Or stronger looking."

"_**He is still a threat to you regardless."**_

"I'm a God, lady. Nobody's a threat to me." Hades said, irritated.

The mysterious feminine voice chuckled. _**"So was I. So were the rest of us. But he destroyed us all, save for two. Myself, and another, who watches over him still, though he does not know it."**_

"That's impossible."

"_**Not when you hold a weapon capable of piercing the very source of existence. Those Keyblades are far more dangerous than you realize. Should the boy have wished it, or even known it was capable, the one called Sora could have killed you."**_

Normally Hades would just shrug off any sort of comment like that. He was a GOD! They can't die. But…this woman had been pestering him forever, warning him not to get up to any of his usual tricks for the time being. Something big was coming, and that kid…_both_ of those kids, were in the middle of it. And he'd sensed that kid's power. Again, both of them. Sora had a lot of power, but it was unrefined, wild. It was at his call, but not as focused as it could have been. The other one…Seth…_he_ had focused power. And lots of it. Hades figured even if the kid was minoshitting about half of it, he'd make a good PR agent.

"How?"

"_**By piercing your heart, and forcing it to be released from its shell. Or…by simply piercing the heart of this world."**_

"…I see…"

"_**Do you? The Keyblade is an impossibly dangerous device, capable of defending or destroying entire planets. Nothing, is immune to the effects of a Keyblade, for all things have hearts, save those Nobodies. But even they can be destroyed at the hands of a Keyblade, for they are still physical shells capable of taking damage. If this world is destroyed, there will be nobody left tied to it to believe in your existence. You may be a God, but you exist because your people believe in you, even if through fear."**_

"I know that part already."

"_**Good. Then you realize that if you were to push this boy, not Sora, but the other; if you were to push him, he would not hesitate to destroy your world, presuming he did not realize he could simply destroy You."**_

"He'd do something like that?"

"_**Do you wish to take the risk and find out? Take it from the words of a God that existed before you: we can be replaced. There may always be need for a Lord of the Dead…but it does not have to always be the same Existence…"**_

He frowned at that. Replaced? _Him?_ …but if this voice was right…and she sounded like she knew what the Him she was talking about…then that meant he was a lot closer to losing something he was trying to hold on to. But then something hit him.

"Wait a tic. If you claim your world, which supported your existence through its people, was wiped out. Not consumed by darkness, but wiped out. Why in _my name_ are you able to talk to me?!" Ha! That'll shut-

"_**Because his belief in myself, and the other, are strong enough to keep us alive. Do not underestimate the power of Faith, Hades. He believes in many of us, but we two are all that remain, for the others either have less of a claim to him, or he simply dislikes them. There should be five of us, logically, remaining…but he dislikes the three, and hates one of them in particular, greatly. As it is, our powers remain just enough to sustain our own existence. And very occasionally, interact with the greater realm. But as it is, we must remain silent."**_

"So you're wiping yourself out just by talking to me eh?"

"_**No. I have stored enough to hold occasional conversations, as has the other. But the other has nobody it wishes to speak to. I simply knew that he would eventually come to you. And you were the only one who was capable of granting his request."**_

"Essh…this must be how Pain and Panic feel." Hades muttered. Perhaps after this he'd reduce their random tortures to only eight times a day, rather than ten.

* * *

He stood at the big clearing just outside the gates to the Old Mansion.

This was it. It was time to put into practice his plan.

The thirteen Gaia Memories he'd created, drawn from the data of the thirteen members of the Organization, placed around him in a wide circle. The idea behind them, was that he'd found information in the Hollow Bastion computer about a location not far from the castle, where Xemnas had set up a small 'vault' of sorts. Within, were data replicas of all thirteen Organization members, including himself. Seth had thought to use that information to try to help reconstruct Xion.

After getting the Life Materia, he slipped into what had been called the 'Garden of Assemblage' and found the main console there. From there, he configured the device to copy the data of each member into one of thirteen smaller drives he had manufactured while he was 'interrogating' Yuffie.

Hell, if that little plant was capable of making fake heartless, then making a few device drivers should have been simple. Which it was.

It should have bothered him…but he was a man on a mission…and she had stood in his way. At that moment, she had ceased being another human. She was an obstacle to be overcome. He would not seek forgiveness, or even understanding. This was his goal. And all consequences of his actions he would deal with as they came.

His little idea worked swimmingly. He could _feel_ the power of each Memory. That meant it worked. Otherwise, it would have just been an exchange of data, nothing more. The fact that he could _feel_ their powers, meant that he'd managed to extract their very essence, just as he'd hoped to do. It wasn't just data, contained in the small colored rectangular devices, it was the literal _memory_ of them. Or at least, what they were capable of. He'd taken a quick glance at the data, not truly understanding all of the terms (tech was never his forte. He could use it well enough but some of the intricacies evaded him). But one thing he was able to note was that they were essentially blank, just coded with their powers and fighting styles, and with the intent to beat the shit out of the opponent.

Training dummies, so to speak.

They would not hold back, they would not relent until the target was dead, or unconscious, depending on the current settings. You couldn't taunt them, or reason with them, or anything. They would fight…and that was it.

But that's all he needed them for.

In his hands, was the Life Materia. He felt no guilt over his methods of obtaining it. He'd gone as far as he needed to, no farther. He'd given Yuffie the power to control the outcome of their encounter, not that she was able to recognize it as such. But regardless, he gave her full control. Her choices dictated his responses. The longer and harder she resisted, the more…depraved and barbaric his methods would become. After all, even if he were to ask for it politely, they'd want to know why. And he wouldn't be able to tell them. And they would deny him. So ultimately, in the end, it would lead to violence of some sort either way. When you can see the most likely outcome, it's best to just go to it, rather than bother wasting time on other possibilities. At least, when you understood _why_ that less desirable outcome would be the most likely.

At his feet rest a single Thalassa Shell, to represent Xion, as it was her favorite material thing. He was lucky to find it, at a small shore in the original Twilight Town. Perhaps the 'blessing' from Belle actually worked? Definitely wasn't Karma, that's for sure.

All preparations were complete. He'd taken the copy of the information Xion wrote, and placed it into the database of the Data Twilight Town, prior to setting things up.

"Miri, we good?"

A feeling of acknowledgement. She couldn't speak, but he taught her how to work the computer controlling the data simulation.

"Alright…let's do this…"

He closed his eyes, relaxing himself, letting the feeling of power flow through him. In his hands, the Life Materia began to glow. It was an offshoot, his idea. He didn't know if it would work or not. But…he **believed**.

"Dai…Zero-shiki kousoku kikan kaihou…"

* * *

"…As I stand…Alicia…"

"Hello…Silmeria."

"Well don't just stand there girl, get over here and hug me!"

The two blondes shared a smile, as Alicia raced forward and tackled her old friend and almost-sister in a tight hug.

"I must thank you all, for returning her to us." Odin spoke.

"It wasn't a problem." Aqua spoke for the group. Kairi was simply smiling at the scene of the two blondes clutching each other, clearly having missed one another.

At least…she _was_ smiling.

Unfortunately luck has that funny little trait of running out at the _worst_ possible times. Everyone turned as Sora buckled forward, coughing heavily.

"Sora?" The group turned to the brunette, all concerned.

"I…S-something's…wrong…"

He was clutching his chest. His heart was beating rapidly, a strange…unpleasant sensation filling his body.

"Sora what's wrong?" Kairi pushed, beginning to panic. It was _her_ who was supposed to have random bouts of heart aches, not him!

"It…it feels like…something…is…trying to…"

He flinched violently.

And Kairi's eyes widened as glowing red streaks began pulsing along his body.

"R-Resonance Reaction…?!"

* * *

The sphere was pulsing in tune with his heart. Soft echoes of power were beginning to waft off of it in slow, steady bursts.

"**Jigen kanshou kyosuu houjin tenkai!"**

Beneath his feet, where the Gaia Memories stood, lines began to form. Slowly, from one memory to another, connections were bridged, the lines becoming a thirteen pointed star. The memories themselves began to shimmer with an unearthly light, as soft ripples of air began flowing off of his body.

And streaks of red, slid along his veins.

* * *

Suddenly, Riku clutched his chest as well, the same red lines forming on his body, flowing from his heart.

"Wh-what the…"

"Riku too?!"

And then they started on _Kairi_.

"Eh?!" She looked at herself, confused. She could feel the beating of her heart, but she didn't feel any different otherwise.

"**AAAAAHHHH!" **_Naminé?! _**"It hurts…it hurts! Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP!"**

"Not good…not good…not good…" Riku chanted to himself, gritting his teeth against the pain. It was like something was trying to claw its way out of his chest! He could barely breathe! And it just got _worse_ as time passed!

"What's going on? What is this?" Odin demanded.

"I…I don't know…this…this fits the form of a Resonance Reaction but…" Aqua was stumped…and _very_ scared.

* * *

"**Code…X.E.N!"**

The memories began pulsing wildly, streams of light spiraling around them. Each one glowing a different color, each one giving off a different form of power.

Each one, connecting to their Original Owners.

* * *

In a far off corner of Radiant Garden, the sound of a man, screaming in _agony_, caused many to flinch and look around wildly.

The sound of a second man, repeating the same, made them fearful.

The sound of a third, cause them to start panicking.

In Halloween Town, a woman's scream went mostly ignored. But one Jack Skellington rose his head upon hearing it. For it wasn't a scream of horror…but one of _sheer pain._

* * *

"**Koyuu Kekkai…**_**KIDOU!"**_

The pulses along his body, coming from his heart, became almost constant. As he spoke the final words of his incantation, he felt spikes of power lashing into him from thirteen different directions.

_**Axel.**_

_**Saix.**_

_**Zexion.**_

_**Xaldin.**_

_**Xigbar.**_

_**Demyx.**_

_**Lexaeus.**_

_**Vexen.**_

_**Marluxia.**_

_**Luxord.**_

_**Larxene.**_

_**Xemnas.**_

_**Roxas.**_

**MAXIMUM DRIVE**

* * *

Somewhere.

Hidden away in a far off world.

A single man with tanned skin and silver white hair, growled as he clutched his chest.

Streaks of red flowed along his skin like streams of blood, as he bent forward, before his arms and legs were forced apart; a loud, blood chilling roar of pain ripping from his throat.

As a pillar of light erupt from his heart.

* * *

A massive stream of light ripped from Kairi and Riku's chests, their screams echoing throughout the hall. Gales of force ripped from their bodies, causing all who were present to struggle against the pressure.

But it was _Sora's_ scream that was the loudest. A literal ball of light ripped from his torso, leaving him floating in the air, body limp. The ball crackled, before seeming to warp and distort, tearing itself apart into three separate spheres, all of the same color. The three spheres seemed to spiral around one another, as if fireflies in an intricate dance of horror.

And then they all shot into the air, before rocketing off in three separate directions.

As they did, the pillars of light abruptly faded from Kairi and Riku's hearts, leaving all three teens to drop to the ground, unconscious.

* * *

She clutched her hands to her chest, dropping to her knees. Her whole body felt tingly all over. Her eyes were squeezed shut, tears of pain racing down her face. It hurt…it hurt so _much_. She could _feel_ the screams of everyone. She could _taste_ their pain…making it her own.

But she held on. She held on with everything she had, even as the world around her erupted in explosions of light and sound. She clutched to her chest, the single keychain that she had received from her new friend. The man who promised to make her _real_ again.

And she prayed.

_Let me come home! Let me be real! I want to see, I want to feel, I want to touch, I want to taste, I want to __**be!**_

_I want to __love!_

* * *

**MAXIMUM DRIVE**

The pressure was impossible! He was barely holding on! His whole body was shaking with exertion! This had to be the craziest thing he's done in his entire life!

**MAXIMUM DRIVE**

The words continued to echo, the Gaia Memories pushed beyond their specifications. He could feel their power tearing at his skin, ripping into his very being. Yet still he held. He made a promise, and he was _so _close to keeping it. The Life Materia in his hands was pulsing wildly, flooding his body with its power, invading his heart and mind, as he struggled to control it. This was something impossible, this was something beyond mortal capabilities.

**MAXIMUM DRIVE**

But he didn't give up. Even as his whole body felt weak from overload, even as his fingers and toes were becoming numb. Even as his eyes were being burnt out by the immense light shining in his face. Even as his body was being crushed by the pure conceptual pressure of his intended goal.

He still held on.

**MAXIMUM DRIVE**

He refused to believe that something had gone wrong. He refused to give in to despair, to worry. He could only hold fast to the belief that this was working as planned.

**MAXIMUM DRIVE**

And his faith…was rewarded.

The words still echoed through his brain, he still felt the pressure of **Life** rushing through him.

But everything seemed to calm.

**MAXIMUM DRIVE**

For above him was floating a _heart_.

And he knew _exactly _whose heart it was.

**MAXIMUM DRIVE**

With every remaining ounce of strength, he lifted the Life Materia into the air. Lances of light ripped down into the ground, slamming into each of the Gaia Memories, which then emit their own colored essence as piercing beams directly towards the heart above. The Life Materia pulsed wildly, as if it had sentience, and knew, this was where its purpose would begin.

With a final push of will, Seth gathered all of his focus, the remainder of his strength, pushing everything he had through the pain.

"**Border of Death: **_**REVERSE REBIRTH!"**_

All color was suddenly sucked into the floating heart above.

For a moment…all was silent.

And then the world exploded.

* * *

Somewhere…

In a far off location…

A body twitched.

As a pair of bright blue eyes slowly opened.

* * *

**A/N:** And the next deviation from the original. Seth is showing a darker side to himself lately, isnt he? So...what was up with the three lights coming from Sora? Hmm, wonder if we'll ever find out.

**_Initializing release of Type-Zero restriction.  
_**

**_Deploying dimensional boundary interference field.  
_**

**_Code Xenome Elimination Network.  
_**

**_Innate Bounded Field...Release.  
_**


	7. Lonesome

A violent rumbling ripped through all of Olympus. It was as if the very ground were trying to tear itself apart. People panicked left and right, screaming and running for cover. Shop stalls shuddered and fell apart, houses rattled dangerously as bricks and stone pillars cracked and crumbled. Fissures appeared in the cement and stone streets, animals and people alike tripping over them.

Seeing the destruction, Zeus himself, headed straight for the Underworld.

"**HADES!**" The God yelled.

"NOT ME THIS TIME!" Retorted the Lord of the Dead.

"Seriously! What part of 'I'm taking a vacation' do people not get?!"

"Then explain to me _why_ the world was trying to tear itself apart." Zeus spoke in false calm.

"How the Me should I know?! _I'm on vacation!_ I'm not **DOING** anything! Look around you big guy, do you _really_ think I'd wreck my own snazzy place with something? Do you know how long it took me to set up this room _just_ the way I liked it? I had to melt it all down like, ten times!"

The bearded one looked unimpressed…but sensed no deception from his banished brother.

"…and you have no clue what caused this?"

"If I did, I'd be setting it on fire in about ten different ways right now."

"…very well." And with that, the bolt hurling god vanished.

"…ok now tell me what in the name of _Me_ was that?!" Hades said after a few minutes.

"_**It would seem…he has succeeded."**_

"In doing **WHAT?!** What could he have done that made even MY part of the world go crazy?!"

"_**Returned to life, that which never existed."**_

"Again with that, it doesn't even make sense!"

"_**And THAT is why it caused even your world to respond. An impossibility became real."**_

**Kingdom Hearts RE: Order**

**Chapter VI:**_** Requiem of the Lonesome**_

"Mickey! Did you feel that?!" A feminine voice hollered.

"Owww…yeah…yeah I felt it alright…" A high-pitched male voice responded from underneath his own chair.

"Oh, are you alright?"

"I'm fine Minnie…just a bump on the ol' noggin is all." Mickey responded, rubbing his head.

A soft light emit from his wife's palms. "Oh dear, I should have known you'd be caught underneath that thing. Tell me why I agreed to let these chairs be so tall?"

"Cuz you love me?" was the cheeky response.

"Hmph. Do you have any idea what that was?"

"Not a clue…I hope it wasn't anything bad. We'll have to see who's been affected by the quake. Never felt one quite like that though…it was like…" he trailed off.

"Like the world was ripping itself apart." Minnie finished.

"I'll check the Cornerstone. Can ya go start overseeing the relief efforts? I doubt much can be done with the castle, but do ya mind checking the town?"

"Okay." She nodded and took off.

"Now let's just hope nothing else happens…don't think the castle can take much more of this…" he muttered to himself, before going in a different direction.

* * *

A lance was thrust into the side of a pale white bird-like humanoid creature. The holder pulled back then pivoted on their left foot, dragging the squawking monster along and around, to be then riddled with multiple arrows before being lifted, then slammed backwards into the ground behind the holder. Hrist sneered as she noted the attacks were barely hurting it, even when infused with energy.

Slowly twirling her spear, she pulled back and thrust forward once, spun on the tip of her left toe, jabbing it in the stomach with a backwards thrust, then flipping it around her while righting herself, delivering a final, more powerful thrust to its midsection. As with all of the others that were fought, this one's flesh suddenly burst off, leaving strange bloody chunks dripping off of it.

It was then that Lenneth, the eldest of the three Valkyrie sisters, slid towards the dripping creature, knocking it off its feet and then delivering a deadly vertical slash to its torso, followed by an equally deadly horizontal swing at its neck. The combined attacks finally broke through, and the creature fell to the ground in a spray of bloody chunks that burst into white fragments, leaving behind Lenneth to cringe as some of it got in her hair.

All over the Hall of the Gods, Einherjar and even Lesser Gods were battling these creatures. All were finding difficulty killing the beasts. It took serious damage before they would even get _close_ to falling. Freya's beams of power, not even Odin's Gungnir was capable of felling the creatures in short order. Magic, blade, arrow…it didn't matter what weapon they used. The multitude of humanoid monstrosities would take _obscene _amounts of punishment before they dropped. And they would drop _messily_ no matter how they were ent.

It was three days since the event where the light ripped from Sora, Kairi and Riku. The three had spent two days unconscious, before rising on the third, just as an _extremely_ unusual earthquake hit. All over the realm of the Gods, the ground shuddered, even the sky looked like it was vibrating. Not a day later, and they were attacked by the strange marble fleshed creatures that nearly killed the Keybearers back in Twilight Town.

Alicia frowned as she ducked under the wide swing of a golden blade. She hopped back, narrowly dodging the overhead vertical chop made as an attempt to recover lost ground. Her sword was near-useless, for every time she swung, even with an obvious opening, the beaked creature in crimson and gold armor would just block with its shield. She was smaller, and faster, but it _was_ a pretty big shield anyway. She even tried kicking the blasted thing, but all she got was an aching foot and a nearly lost head for her troubles. She'd been fighting the damn thing for three minutes now! It was deplorable!

"THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT WITH THESE FUCKING BABY HEADS!"

_And that would be Kairi channeling Seth again._ Alicia thought to herself, trying to find an opening to actually _hit_ this damn thing. It was pretty glaring actually. She _really_ grabbed too much when she dived into him back at the Nobody Castle. Parts of his personality had completely augmented hers. She was louder, for one, and definitely swore a lot more. It wasn't even when she was agitated anymore either. A curse or swear would be part of nearly every spoken paragraph. Also, she was a far bit more perverted now. Nowhere near as bad as Seth, but she was definitely more provocative.

Still, she was right to be irritated. Along with the usual bi-pedal bird-man creatures holding golden staves tipped with rotating crosses that acted like fan-blades that _doubled_ as makeshift saws, the appearance of _two_ of the cat creatures – one of fire and the other of lightning – a couple armor headed fireball spitting dog monsters (that had been killed immediately cause right away _everyone_ got tired of them roaring and somehow paralyzing even ODIN of all people), and the big tall armored bird-man that Alicia herself was fighting; came a group of floating, giggling winged heads with the face of babies.

They were fast, smaller than anyone was used to (though Sora got used to them pretty quickly, he'd said they were about the size of a Darkball that hadn't expanded) spat little energy balls that _hurt_ like you wouldn't believe something that small should, and could coat themselves in an energy field to ram into you.

Worse was that unless they decided to stop and giggle at an inconvenient (for them) location, they could flutter out of the way of close-range swings. And unfortunately, most of the archers were busy playing ranged games with a few of their flying counterparts. Thus, Kairi, Aqua, Riku and Sora, were left to deal with most of the floating heads. Or rather, _Kairi_ was left to deal with the floating heads. For the other three had tackled the ground enemies.

A flare of light and Kairi's driver formed around her waist. She clipped it closed, and the sound of high pitched bells echoed through the hall as her left hand glowed.

"Henshin!"

A slash of her palm across the crystal core and…

_**Wisdom Form**_

The core flared a deep royal blue light which shattered and spiraled around the Princess. When the light burst off of her body, all action in the hall stopped for a moment, as every combatant on both sides beheld her new attire.

A dark blue open long jacket with a series of varying white letter-like symbols reaching from a circle on the back, along the shoulders and down the arms, as well as down the center of the two slit coattails. Inside the runic ring on the back of the jacket was the outline of a heart. The jacket was over a nearly invisible strapless black top that exposed her collarbone along with enough cleavage to make at least Sora blink twice, which was underneath a dark violet corset. A black miniskirt with dark blue lace trim reaching to mid-thigh, black high-heeled long-boots with dark blue laces reaching just below her knees, and an almost out-of-place dark purple witch hat with the tip crumpled backward completed her look.

Also for some still inexplicable reason, a few strands of her hair turned a royal blue. Kairi had plans to ask Seth about that.

She gave a feral grin, as she pointed her Keyblade, wielding the Spellbinder keychain, at the closest group of baby-heads. "You're all _fucked!_"

And the battle started anew.

* * *

"It's…so pretty up here…" Kairi spoke with awe in her voice.

Kairi's second Form had turned the tides of battle, leading to their victory. Or so they'd thought. As with the other time the Keybearers fought these creatures, they fused into one…one that nobody was really able to damage. It was smaller than they'd expected, looking like one of the cat monsters, only clad in what seemed to be gold armor. Their weapons did little damage, their spells bounced right off, and it was faster than they could keep up with, even with Kairi changing to Valor Form.

But then it stopped. And to their shock, it was bound by a massive black hand. Further surprising them, a Dark Corridor had opened, and out stepped a small girl with long white hair. She seemed to stare at the creature, that was being held in place by the massive fist, which grew a body, turning into, of all things, a Darkside Heartless.

The girl made a motion, and the Darkside smashed the creature together like one would while pressing ground beef to make a hamburger. Blood dripped to the ground between the fingers of the shadowed hand, before the creature's body was dropped to the ground, armor rent and body broken, where it exploded into bloody fragments that burst into light.

That wasn't all. Immediately after the light faded, she vanished from view, before appearing with her hand shoved _inside_ Kairi's chest. The child pulled out a strange grey orb from the Princess, before fleeing into another Dark Corridor, the Darkside vanishing with her.

Whatever she'd done, it had made Naminé mute to Kairi's senses. The group, including Odin himself, gave chase using Riku's ability to trace Darkness.

Despite the situation, Odin couldn't but give a small grin. The girl's awe was justified, for they were at the top of the World Tree, Yggdrasil. 'Tree' was more apt for the lower regions however, as the top of the tree was more crystalline in nature, with floating gemstones and many other arrangements of shimmering wonder growing about. For the Keyblade wielders, this was an amazing location. For Alicia though…

It just brought her back. Back to when she traveled with Rufus…back to the death of her father, the kidnapping of Silmeria, the displacement of Hrist. This place…while it was where she grew past being a mortal-turned-undead with powers similar to those of a Valkyrie, this was also the place where she fell so deeply into despair that she tried to kill herself. To her surprise, Silmeria had slipped next to her, and slid her hand into Alicia's, squeezing it gently.

"Tis not a happy place for you, is it, Sister?"

Alicia shook her head softly. "No…'tisn't. While…while Dipan may be where my life crumbled around me, t'was here that everything came to a head. And should the Other Lenneth be heeded…I died here. I'm not quite fond of this place, Silmeria."

The blonde Valkyrie just squeezed the girl's hand again. "The Wizard is gone, Sister. I don't know what that girl intended when she took what she did from the Princess of Heart, but we'll soon find out and be rid of this place."

Alicia nodded, just in time for Kairi's head to snap to a specific direction. A Corridor of Darkness formed before them, and a familiar shape stepped out.

"…_Naminé?!_"

Before them stood a fair skinned, blonde haired and blue eyed young woman clad in a white dress. The dark gateway behind her faded away into black wisps, as the girl stepped forward, silent. Her face was blank, eyes semi-lidded, as she stared right at her Other. Kairi was too overjoyed to be unnerved, and the others were confused.

"You're ok!"

"Yes. I am." Naminé said softly.

Kairi stepped forward, smiling. "I can't believe it…you're real…you _are_ real, right?"

Naminé's eyes closed. "I don't know Kairi…you tell me. Am I _real_?"

The way she said that put Sora on edge. _…why do I get the feeling like something is a bit…odd here…?_

"Hey…Riku…" He whispered, as Kairi walked closer to her other, intent on finding out. "…is it just me or does Naminé seem a bit…odd to you?"

"First off." Riku began. "How the hell would you know whether or not Naminé was 'off'? Your memories of meeting her were erased." Sora scrunched his nose up in distaste but nodded. "Second…I'm starting to realize why people trust you over me. Your perceptions about people are crazy…you're right. She _does_ seem a bit weird."

Kairi touched Naminé's arm, marveling at the fact that once again the girls were in separate forms.

Looking back, she would realize that the only reason she had any inkling of what was going to happen, was because she was in physical contact with her Other.

An instinct to **move** ripped through her mind, and she jumped back, just as a ball of fire erupted right where she was once standing. Riku and Sora gaped, Aqua tensed, and the others stared in confusion, as Naminé turned a passive view to Kairi.

"I missed."

"W-what the hell Naminé?!"

Naminé tilted her head. "Are you really that surprised? …what am I saying…of course you are. You don't know. You don't know anything."

"Why would you-

"Why? _Why?_ Can you really not tell?" Another ball of fire erupted under Kairi's feet, but she was expecting it and hopped aside, cringing at the searing heat. She turned a betrayed glare to Naminé.

"You were loved. You were so loved that even when everything around you was falling apart, you were kept safe by powers beyond your control. You were accepted, cherished, from the moment you were born. You…have everything. Friends, allies…love. Perfect Kairi. The Ultimate Princess. Incapable of being turned Heartless, immune to Darkness. And then there's me. Born from a freak accident. I'm supposed to be your Nobody, but that's impossible because you were never turned into a Heartless. I'm _Sora's_ Nobody, taking a mockery of _your_ form. I had _nothing_. No one. I wasn't loved or cherished when I was born. I was lost and confused, taken and used as a tool, _twice!_ And I was expected to just, fade away. Go back to being a part of _you_ who I'm not even supposed to be a part _of_!"

Kairi blinked, confused…but beginning to understand. Naminé had been unhappy this entire time. Lonely, used, abused, and left to fade away. Expected to simply accept her fate. And for a time, it seemed she did. But the idea that she was _still_ unhappy, even inside Kairi's heart as a specter, made sense. It would explain why she was still 'active' and not just a faint echo.

Roxas and Naminé were 'special' Nobodies. Both were born when Sora used the False Keyblade made from six of seven Princesses of Heart to release Kairi's heart from his own, turning him temporarily into a Shadow. Both…were born with no memories of their original selves. Roxas, honestly, looked nothing like Sora, while Naminé shared Kairi's physical traits, save for the hair color.

"They say I'm your Nobody. Your shadow. But that doesn't make any sense! How can I be _your_ Nobody if your body never was _lost_ in the first place! But they're right about one thing."

Kairi's heart began to race. She realized she wasn't going to be able to talk her way out of this.

"I **am** your Shadow."

Naminé lifted her left arm, palm facing upward. In a burst of blue fire, a single small rectangular object appeared, spinning on an axis, floating above her hand. It was a card, on one side it had the outline of a grey heart with the crest of the Nobodies superimposed beneath it. On the other it looked like a picture frame, with an image of a small grey crown shape with multiple chains coming off of it. Silently, she clenched her fist rapidly, somehow shattering the card into a multitude of glowing fragments.

As if it were some sort of trigger, a glowing blue flame raced around her midsection, before dissipating, revealing a _very_ familiar looking belt. The difference was that rather than just a heart crest, the strange merged crest that was on the back of the card was at the grey core.

_Everyone_ stared in surprise, though later on Kairi would admit she really should have seen it coming. Naminé's hand glowed, the same symbol as on the back of the card, and on her driver. A tune of multiple exotic sounding flutes backed by a faint harp echoed.

Kairi stared. _She…she's going to…_

"Henshin."

Naminé swiped her hand down, past the core, which glowed a shimmering black and white.

_**Limit Form**_

Black and white chains ripped from the core, wrapping around Naminé like some form of egg, before shattering. The girl was revealed to now literally be wearing what looked like Sora's old clothes, save the garishly yellow oversized shoes, exchanged for a much more modest pair of heeled small boots.

And the belt. Which had an unseen slot appear at the top of it. One that would not go noticed for a little while.

A wall of light appeared, blocking the rest of the group from reaching Naminé and Kairi.

"Naminé…what have you…what are you…" Kairi couldn't form a proper sentence.

"I am your Shadow. The darkness created by your light."

"Bull! I don't have any darkness!"

Naminé nodded. "And that's what makes you a freak like me." Kairi blanched at that.

"I'm not a freak!"

"But you are." Naminé pushed. "You and I, are freaks of nature. We're both contradictory existences. A being with no darkness? That shouldn't be possible by the rules of nature. Every heart holds light and darkness within it. For yours not to, means that yours is unnatural. And me…I was born the Nobody that was supposedly of a being who held no darkness, and never lost her form. And all of my memories are _new._ Fresh. But Nature has laws, Kairi. And the fundamental law is: every light may illuminate the darkness, but should someone stand before the light, they cast a shadow. I am that shadow. Your echo. But I wasn't born from you. I was born from Sora. I am the shadow cast upon him by your light."

And now, Kairi understood what Naminé was getting at.

Naminé was _their_ nobody. Born from Sora's lost form, with Kairi's physical traits, but Sora's spirit. Created by his love (though he didn't know it was really love at the time) for Kairi upon his end. Kairi's eternal light, shined upon Sora by way of their mutual friendship, and Naminé was created from the shadow cast by Sora basking in Kairi's light.

Naminé held out her right hand. In a burst of light, a wicked looking Keyblade formed.

"…oh crap…" Sora said deadpan.

"What? What could _possibly_ be wrong now?!" spoke an irate and nervous Riku. He and Ansem weren't…the best to the girl. Even though he tried to make it up to her by helping her escape and whatnot. There was still that timeframe where he was just as much a douche to her as Ansem was.

And she seemed pissed. He'd never really seen Naminé pissed. _If she still has power over the memories of people who are tied to Sora…this can't get worse…_

"That…that's the Ultima Weapon keychain. That's like…the most powerful keychain I've touched. That thing cut through everything like it was paper. **Everything.**"

Riku blinked.

It just got worse.

* * *

Yeah, it definitely got worse.

It was bad enough she had a Keyblade, and was literally matching Kairi blow for blow, despite Naminé having _no _combat experience at all. Everyone stuck outside the barrier who were watching, at least the group in the know about the link between Kairi and Seth, could only guess that Naminé had gained the skills that Kairi drew from Seth as well. Looking at it this way, it actually kind of made a twisted sort of sense for Naminé to have her own belt, seeing as she was in Kairi's heart at the time the redhead gained hers.

But why was it Limit Form of all things?

_Maybe cause I was her first friend? And seeing as that belt thing emerged because of Kairi's feelings for me, and…oh. Wait does that mean Naminé likes me like that too?_

See, the above was already kind of an issue. But there was something else.

**Attack Ride: **_**Strike Raid**_

**That.**

At the sound of an unexpected male voice speaking from _who_ knows where, Naminé's Keyblade began to shine. She held it in front of her, releasing its handle, where it began to spin wildly like a saw. Sora's eyes widened as he and Aqua realized at the same time what was about to happen.

"Kairi Move!" Aqua yelled before Sora did.

Kairi ran to the side as Naminé's Keyblade rocketed towards where she was just standing.

But there was _more_.

**Five** spinning Keyblade forms appeared above Naminé, and each one rocketed towards Kairi in sequence. The redhead gave a squeak of fear as she jumped out of the way of one, ducked under another that had spun horizontally and twisted out of the way of the third. But the fourth and fifth shot towards her at the same time, revolving around one another, before coming at her above and below from opposite sides. They were far enough away that they could track her movements, so the girl couldn't just duck backwards. So instead she ran towards Naminé and then kicked her right foot forward, throwing a little bit of a pulse of gravity at the ground to force her oncoming revolution to be faster initially, tucked her arms into her body and spun, narrowly dodging both spinning saw-like blades.

For everyone, the world almost looked like it went into slow motion as the redhead pulled her _insane_ maneuver.

"…that was _so_ hot…" Sora muttered. Riku just stared blankly, nodding. He had to admit, it was both awesome and a little arousing watching Kairi battle. She used to be some weak slip of a girl and now she was…well, doing crap like _that._

"I swear to all that's holy, Sora, if you _fuck this up_ I'm **ending** you on principal of you being a _dumbass_. And then I'm taking her for myself. Dick move or not." Riku said absently.

Sora just nodded. "I fully endorse this idea and I'll even give you my Keyblade to do it with."

Aqua actually had to hide a snort of laughter. They were so _deadpan_ with that!

**Attack Ride: **_**Sonic Blade**_

The Keyblade had appeared back in Naminé's hands, and she vanished from view. Suddenly, Kairi rolled to the side, out of the way of a blur surrounded by buffeting winds. Naminé had dashed forward, blade extended, in an attempt to run the redhead through. The blonde vanished again, before Kairi jumped to her left, again just _barely_ dodging.

She didn't dodge the third strike, which clipped her on the left arm. That was enough to cause her to get hit by the fourth strike to her stomach, the fifth to her back, and the sixth, final strike to her chest, causing her to roll backwards, coughing in pain.

"Dammit…" _Fine! You wanna play like that?! We'll fucking play!_

Her own belt appeared, the tinny bells rang their little tune.

"Henshin!"

_**Wisdom Form**_

In a flare of royal blue light, the girl had been garbed in her witch-like outfit once again. She pointed the Spellbinder at Naminé, a salvo of energy projectiles rocketing from the tip. The blonde said nothing, but jumped into the air, before spreading her arms out, and rapidly flying forward.

"Oh shit she can _superglide too?!_" Sora exclaimed in shock. His _own_ Limit Form didn't let him do that!

The girl proved her aerial prowess by gently evading every single projectile that Kairi launched at her with ease. A slight shift of her right arm, a tilt of her head, gentle lift of her left leg, a pivot of her feet…all of the redhead's bullets missed as Naminé let them _graze_ past her, before tucking her legs in, doing a forward roll while sliding something inside the hidden slot of her own buckle.

But _Kairi_ caught the motion, barely.

**Attack Ride: **_**Stun Impact**_

"KAIRI MOVE!"

It was only the fact that she was already throwing her weight backward, that kept her from getting the full brunt of the attack. Naminé had violently extended both arms and legs outward as a semi-transparent orange-red dome of energy ripped out from the core of her body. A loud **CRACK** was heard as the sheer _force_ of the attack cratered the ground beneath her slightly. However the attack's name was apt: Kairi was knocked for a loop just from the blast itself. Naminé landed, and this time _everyone_ got a good look at what she did.

A single card appeared in her hand, in the same wispy blue flame as before. She snatched it up and rapidly slid it into an unseen slot at the top of her belt buckle.

**Attack Ride: **_**Zantetsuken**_

Sora's eyes bugged out as panic gripped his heart.

"**KAIRI GET UP THAT'S A ONE-HIT KILL!**" He yelled with terror.

But to Kairi, the words were muffled. Her head was reeling, body not responding correctly. She slowly began to rise…but it was too late. Naminé flipped the Ultima Weapon around in hand, before holding it close to her left hip, as if it were sheathed. She leaned forward, tensed her legs, and _vanished_ in a flicker of movement.

And then she re-appeared, behind Kairi, blade outstretched. Suddenly Kairi's body was lifted off the ground, thrown backwards as the girl screamed in pain, clothes shattering off her in a blaze of light, returning her to her initial state, only far more injured. A one hit kill indeed, but Naminé wasn't aiming to end this just yet.

Not yet.

Naminé waited, allowing Kairi to slowly get up. The redhead was groaning, holding her arm, blood running down her forehead from where her head slammed into one of the crystal pillars.

"I…" She panted out. "I'm…not giving up…"

The belt returned, horns blaring.

"Hen…Henshin!"

_**Valor Form**_

Naminé just stared impassively at the blazing red glow.

"…I never expected you to."

* * *

"How…is she still standing…?" Aqua was shocked. She'd seen Terra use the Zantetsuken attack once, _just_ once before. Sora was right, it _was_ a one-hit kill. There were some things that were strong enough to only take a massive level of damage from it, but it was designed to be a lightning fast slash that cut through steel. That Kairi was still standing meant that either Naminé had held back - which wasn't entirely possible since the attack's name was quite literally 'Iron Cutting Blade' – or Kairi was stronger than everyone thought.

"She won't give up." Riku said, fists clenching. "Sora wouldn't, and she's drawing heavily from him when she uses those forms…and honestly…I don't think _Seth_ would either."

The natives from Valhalla just watched in amazement as two teenage girls went at it with the fury of ancient deities. They were all surprised at how powerful these two girls were, and neither of them had proper formal training in swordsmanship or combat. Odin had to wonder, could this be the power of such a mental link between two people? Even _he_ had to train to keep his skills sharp, let alone get where he was. Was it truly possible that one could transfer battle instincts and prowess between people just by linking their hearts?

It would seem the answer was right in his face, wouldn't it?

And then Naminé pulled out a _different_ tactic.

* * *

**Kamen Ride: **_**Jack Skellington**_

_Wait what._ Was all Kairi had time to think as a phantom image of an extremely tall humanoid man made of bone yet wearing a suit appeared superimposed over Naminé, before fading. Kairi barely had time to notice that Naminé's Keyblade had changed form into the Pumpkinhead.

**Attack Ride: **_**Blazing Fury**_

And then she was blown back by a giant fireball before…

**Attack Ride: **_**Icy Terror**_

A Gale of frosted winds kicked up around the redhead, spinning around and lifting her off the ground before a series of literal icicles tore into her arms and legs as they formed and rocketed at her like missiles, which led into…

**Attack Ride: **_**Bolts of Sorrow**_

A loud clap of thunder as a golden yellow bolt of lightning ripped from the heavens and slammed into her chest, throwing her into the ground. She coughed as Sora and Riku called out to her, reaching into her pocket.

Valor Form kept the wielder from using _any_ magic at all, because one's magical channels were forced to regulate internal power towards heart-rate, lung expansion and muscular recovery. Literally any magical power the wielder had was used entirely on one's internals, increasing defenses as well as reaction times. So even if you had the power to convert the world around you to wield magic, you couldn't do it because any intent would be cancelled out. You were faster, more agile, capable of swifter reactions, stronger, and more dexterous than before, but that came at the cost of being a purely physical attacker.

Which was kinda bad considering that Naminé was throwing elements at her.

But again, because of the lack of external magical access, Kairi couldn't throw a cure spell at herself. But…she made sure to keep a few Hi-Potion vials in her pockets (which remained when she changed forms, to her immense relief) just in case.

She downed one, feeling the minty tingle of its healing effects…and frowned.

Why the hell was Naminé _grinning_?

* * *

"She can…she can use other people's powers too…?" Riku whispered in shock.

"…Riku…didn't you guys tell me that Naminé had power over Sora's memories…?" Aqua asked tentatively.

Riku's eyes widened. "You don't think-

"She's using my memories of people from when she knew me to fuel her powers." Sora spoke plainly. He was worried for Kairi, upset that Naminé was attacking the girl he loved, but also mildly impressed. He wanted to beat the tar out of the blonde, sure, cause nobody messed with _his_ friends and got away with it, but he was still impressed that she was able to somehow take the powers of people he'd fought alongside and wield them as her own.

"That's…" Riku couldn't say anything, he was too shocked.

"Her Limit Form is much more awesome than mine." Sora stated.

They just watched as the two girls matched one another, Naminé changing 'Rides' every now and then. Sora winced when she picked _Sephiroth_ of all people. But he hadn't met the guy until _after_ that whole-…wait…wasn't there a colosseum match…

* * *

"Why dammit?!"

"You've got two choices Kairi. Turn away, or face today with me."

"What the hell does that even mean?!"

"It means _shut up._"

**CLANG**

**WHAM**

Kairi got kicked away after being forced into a blade-lock.

**Kamen Ride: **_**Riku**_

"WHAT?!" Riku yelled.

But Naminé just called a second card.

**Form Ride: **_**Riku**_

_**~Darkness~**_

"oh fuck me…" Riku breathed in horror.

Kairi's eyes just widened.

**Attack Ride: **_**Dark Aura**_

And then the screaming started.

* * *

"That's…horrible…" Lenneth spoke empathetically.

In seconds, Naminé had torn into Kairi, literally with Riku's Soul Eater. The redhead was being thrown around like a ragdoll as the blonde just kept bursting and re-forming from Darkness, flying past from every possible angle. Riku was tearing up, remembering how _stupid_ he had been. That power that Naminé was wielding…all it did was throw him back, back to when he was dumb enough to doubt Sora's heart. As if hearing his thoughts, he twitched when Sora placed his hand on Riku's shoulder.

"It's alright Riku. I forgave you for that, remember?"

"…but I haven't forgiven myself yet." The teen muttered back after gently nudging Sora's hand off. "…thank you…but…I can't let go just yet."

Sora frowned, but nodded. They all winced as the explosion of blue bolts of lightning ripped through the air as Naminé came crashing down on Kairi, who was now just barely conscious.

And yet she still climbed to her feet.

"I suppose I can respect that about you. You're just like _them_. You don't give up, even when you've got no way to win. Hold onto that, Kairi. It's too crowded in your heart…there's no room for you _and_ me in there. Not with everyone else you've been linking to. But you've made your choice. I'd have lost all respect for you if you ran. Y'know…It's rather curious. Everyone else always had power over me…and then I meet you two. And you didn't even _think_ you did. Strange. Oh well. I suppose that's why _she_ likes him."

"…sh…she…?" Kairi rasped.

"Maybe you'll meet her later. But right now…it's time to end this."

Naminé called another card…but this time held it in front of the buckle.

_**Full Charge**_

Energy crackled between the buckle and the card, before she slid it inside.

**Final Attack Ride**

_**N-N-N-Naminé**_

Naminé flipped the Keyblade in hand, before plunging it into the ground. A distortion of dark energy raced along the crystal floor, before rising into the sky around Kairi, where a series of thick black chains ripped from the multitude of black spheres. Kairi was bound, chains tugging at her arms and legs, staring at Naminé as a series of card outlines appeared in the air between them, sliding in place like doorways. To an observer, it appeared as if the cards were forming some sort of pathway, or tunnel.

Naminé stepped forward once, twice, three times and then jumped, the strange cards rising as she did. She thrust her left foot forward with a yell and shot down at an angle, each card splitting apart as she passed through, adding to a small glyph that was forming around her foot. The strangest bit about it all, was that she seemed to be flickering in and out of tangible existence every few cards, before finally the last one split apart, and her foot slammed into Kairi's chest. Naminé bounced back as the chains shattered, Kairi going flying before the glyph that had now stuck to the redhead _detonated_ and she exploded in a wave of energy and light.

The explosion only engulfed her temporarily, before the redhead was launched backward from the cloud of sparkles and shimmers, slamming past the borderline of the barrier that had just faded, and crashing right into Sora.

Naminé watched Sora and Aqua throw healing spells at Kairi. _…would anyone be that worried about me?_

Suddenly the sound of clapping echoed.

Everyone, even Naminé began looking around, trying to figure out who was doing it.

"I must say…that was mildly entertaining." A voice spoke.

A voice that made Alicia's blood run cold.

"No…"

Slowly, from the shadows, stepped a man. A man with golden brown hair down to just past his ears, a pair of black rimmed glasses, fair skin and a dark blue cloak. A man familiar to those from the world. A man who usurped the Gods with the intent of claiming one particular Valkyrie for himself. A man so twisted by his supposed love that he struck the Gods down _twice_ in his lifetime, traveling through time and space to capture Gungnir, Silmeria and even Lenneth for his own.

A man who _died_ at the hands of the One True Valkyrie, reborn, if temporarily, using all three souls combined with the power of the Dragon Orb, and Alicia's body as its vessel.

"Lezard…Valeth…" Odin growled out.

The man smiled. Naminé slowly inched towards the group.

_This…was __**not**__ part of the plan…_

* * *

All it took was one glance at the sheer _terror_ on Alicia's face.

That man, had to go. _**Now.**_

* * *

He had Gungnir.

Worse, it wasn't a copy. No, it felt _just_ like the one Odin was holding. Just as powerful. No difference at all, only one was held by the ruler of Valhalla, the other was held by a once-human that should be dead but somehow isn't.

And Alicia was _terrified._ Honestly, she was really two steps from being _royally pissed_ but she didn't get the chance to get that far.

No…because something _else_ intervened. Something she would always remember.

Lezard suddenly jerked to the side as a black encased foot slammed into his jaw from a distortion to his right. The attack was so sudden that he couldn't even sense the intent of the blow until it was upon him. That and he wasn't exactly paying attention to his surroundings. He went flying, slamming into a crystal pillar that shattered upon impact. The mage-turned-god shook his head to clear it. That had _hurt_. A lot. And then he saw his attacker. They _all_ saw his attacker.

A being clad in black armor, looking like some sort of demon. But they didn't have time to get a good look at the crouching creature, for suddenly a ripple of power raced over its form as a voice echoed.

_**Cast…Off**_

The arms, legs, torso, even _head_ armor seemed to suddenly grow horrid cracks in it, before it shattered, pieces of black armor ripping off and going flying, dispersing into black vapors after a second or two. The being stood, twin protrusions from between its shoulder blades, like a second pair of arms, only tipped with sharp, curved edges instead of hands. These bladed wing-like objects extended outward, and the voice returned.

_**Change…Shadow**_

The creature was humanoid. Slender appendages, the arms ending in flared gauntlets, revealing a hand shaped like a humans, only tipped in short, sharp looking claws. Slim body, every part of it looking as if it was covered in light-absorbing black armor. True to the strange voice's designation, it looked much like a Shadow, or rather, a Neo-Shadow heartless. Only _much _taller. About the size of an adult human. Neo-Shadows had a slight blue tinge to them, where this creature did not. Also, Neo-Shadows did not have objects coming from their back. They had antennae on their heads, but that was all.

But much like the Shadow and Neo-Shadow heartless, it had blank face, head shaped like a mantis, but glowing yellow eyes.

Yet there was one extra thing. Something that clued a rousing Kairi into the identity of this creature.

A dark grey belt was attached to its waist.

* * *

"I must say…" The wizard spoke, holding his jaw. "That hurt far more than I'd expected. You foolish creature. The guise of a demon, perhaps? No matter. You are nothing compared to the might of a God!"

The creature leaned forward and suddenly bolted towards Lezard. A vicious kick was blocked with the edge of Gungnir. Lezard twisted the double-ended blade to block a fierce thrust punch, followed by swinging it down to stop a rising knee, shifting to the side to dodge a spinning back kick. In seconds the mage had called a glyph and blasted the creature backward in a wave of fire.

The creature flipped in mid-air, landing on all fours. The would-be-God laughed.

"You are fast and skilled I give you that, but in the end, you are nothing!"

And then the creature spoke.

"_**Clock up."**_

The voice sent chills down the spine of everyone, even Lezard had to blink at the sound. It was as if a man and female child were speaking as one. Then the creature seemed to slap some sort of device on its left side.

_**Clock Up**_

Lezard blinked as the creature vanished completely.

And then shit got real.

* * *

They all stared in shock as suddenly now the Wizard-God was being bounced around like a ragdoll. His head would lurch forward only for his body to crunch inward, then go flying backward before being flipped around rapidly having arms and legs smashed back and forth. He was a _pinball_ in a horrible machine and they blinked in shocked awe that this thing was now _tearing him apart_ where before Lezard could match it.

_**Clock Over**_

Suddenly the creature phased back into view, as Lezard fell to his back, bleeding all over. He coughed violently, blood mixed with bile ripping from his mouth. But he had no time to recuperate, for suddenly the Creature was on him again. The monster grabbed him by the hair, yanked him up and then slammed its right fist into his face, shattering both nose and glasses.

And then it slapped the device again.

_**Clock Up**_

For an entire minute, they all watched Lezard get knocked around once more. The only sign that something was actually hitting him was that every now and then a crystal would shatter, as obviously the creature was using them as stepping stones. It wasn't _invisible_, so how…

"TIME SPLICER!" Aqua suddenly yelled, making everyone jump.

"Wh-what?" Naminé was the first to find her voice.

"What he's doing! It's like an ability Ven and I could use called Time Splicer. Or rather _he_ called it Time Splicer. It was like…combining a Stopga spell with a kind of teleportation ability. The Stopga spell was meant to halt the movements of a group of targets while we would teleport around knocking some justice into them. There were…a few beings capable of resisting the Stopga part, but the teleportation half held, so we were still covered. But it was a _seriously_ difficult maneuver to pull off. He told me he came up with it after getting sick of throwing a Stopga out and having things just not get hurt cause he couldn't reach them in time." Aqua explained.

"And you believe that this creature is performing a similar maneuver?" Odin inquired, interested. If the Keyblade wielders could manipulate the flow of time as well…

"Well…" Aqua thought to herself. "If it was Time Splicer…we'd see him appear every now and then. Assuming we didn't get caught in the Stopga field. Thing is, it _was_ literally stopping them and then teleporting around to get whatever potshots we could, before teleporting away again. If the Stopga field didn't hold, we could still get hurt if our teleport was anticipated. But if the field held…the damage wouldn't be done until the field collapsed, where it would be done all at once."

Sora nodded, before throwing his own information in. "The way a Stop spell works for us is that it's like a field of anti-time, in a sense. If the field takes a hold on something, their entire existence freezes in place. Doesn't matter if they were jumping, attacking, taking a crap, anything." Sora said cheekily. "Thing is, if you hit something while it's under a stop spell, it _looks_ like it has no effect at all, but it _does_. The spell stops time entirely for them. So anything you do to them won't take effect until the field collapses, where it'll all happen at once. You could set them on fire, douse the flames, smash them in the face with a rock or lamppost…basically do anything to them, but it wouldn't have any effect until the field dropped. And then they'd just start lurching around, taking all the hits at once."

"So this isn't that…Time Splicer thing?" Alicia asked, her fear of the man who led to her end gone, from watching him get the everloving _shit_ beat out of him.

"If it was, we'd see that creature every now and then. No…this is just something _really_ similar."

_**Clock Over**_

The creature phased back into view after delivering a double-footed kick to Lezard's back, launching him towards the ground. It bent down, crouching low before thrusting its left foot into the air, catching Lezard right on the chin as he fell, where the man was launched_ back up_. It then stood, before seeming to tap something on its buckle.

_**One Two Three**_

The creature clasped a barely noticeable thing on the left side of its buckle, before appearing to slide it over to the right.

"_**Rider…Crossing."**_

It brought it back to the left.

_**RIDER…CROSSING**_

They all watched as dark violet, red, and black crackles of electricity emerged from the belt, before slowly crawling up its torso to the strange blades on its back. The creature bent its legs, before rocketing off the ground, tucking into a spinning ball of raging death. Light seemed to get sucked out of the air around it, as the spinning creature passed the rising Wizard-God before it all seemed to stop.

And then a massive wave of light in the shape of a gigantic X filled the sky, followed by an equally large explosion of energy.

As the light cleared, they saw the creature land heavily on one knee, before rising. Another shape fell from the sky, landing with a loud _**CRUNCH**_. The creature reached to its belt, sliding something to the right, before seeming to sag slightly. They watched as small shafts of light appeared in the creature's body, like cracks, before its black exoskeleton shattered into small hexagons, which flowed towards something that flew off its belt. They all blinked, and a bruised Kairi stared as the person inside the creature was revealed, by way of a single crest on the back of its jacket.

"S-Seth?!"

But that wasn't all. The thing that came off the belt seemed to revolve in mid-air, before turning into a Shadow Heartless that landed daintily on the ground, before seeming to shudder and grow into the little white-haired girl that killed the golden cat-monster.

"Wait…what…?" Riku muttered, extremely confused. Slowly the group moved towards where Seth was, though they were wary, save for Naminé. They all froze as his Keyblade suddenly flared to life in his hands, and he pointed it in their direction. Eyes widened as the tip glowed, and then launched a gentle stream of light at something over their heads. They all turned at the sound of a loud **KER-KLUNK**.

Behind them was the world's keyhole, which was slowly fading away. Seth had locked it. Alicia blinked as she recalled him mentioning that someone should get to doing that, next time they were at Valhalla. A soft smile formed on her face. He kept his word.

They turned back to him, questions bursting to be answered, but they stopped, as the little girl tugged on his shirt, to get his attention. He turned to her, obvious query on his face, and she pointed to something not too far from them. They watched him frown, before stepping forward, the little girl hot on his heels. He knelt down, seeming to pick something up off the ground.

Kairi blinked. A wave of fierce confusion, tinged with worry, echoed through her heart. She blinked again. _Wait a minute…if he was here the whole time, why couldn't I feel him?_

She opened her mouth to ask when suddenly his voice cut through.

"Not here." He said, plainly. She blinked in surprise.

"Well we want-

"I know. Radiant Garden. We'll meet you there." He said, cutting her off.

As if that was some sort of cue, the little girl turned from next to him, and poked the air. They all blinked in surprise as a Dark Corridor opened up at her command. The girl stepped through, and Seth made to do the same, before he stopped.

"Are you coming with us, or going with them?"

None of them knew who the question was directed towards, save one.

"I…I think I'll go with you. I kinda…need to figure out what to say anyway…" A voice spoke up. They turned to see Naminé slipping past them, towards Seth. He just nodded, and gently placed his hand on the girl's back as the two stepped through the gateway, before it vanished quietly. They all just stared.

"I think I speak for everyone here when I say the following: 'Well…shit.'"

Nods of agreement accompanied Sora's statement.

* * *

A black cloaked figure ran its hand along a broken archway. The symbol was intact, the gateway blue, signifying that the owner was still alive, but with the archway broken it could not function. Just the same, the figure didn't need it to function. The figure blinked as it felt a rush of dark energy in the air around it. With a soft plunging whooshing noise, a Dark Corridor opened behind it. The figure rose as Seth stepped through.

"It's all set. You ready?"

The figure nodded. "Yes." A feminine voice spoke.

"You alright?"

The figure nodded again. "Yes…I'm just…a little overwhelmed is all."

"So was I when I woke up. It'll pass. It's time to meet the others."

The figure nodded a third time. "I'm ready. Let's go."

This time Seth nodded, stepping back through the gateway, which never closed. The cloaked entity joined him, never looking back.

Thus, the entity didn't see the black symbol on the broken archway flare white for a moment, the twin Keyblades locked in an X shape, shimmering for the briefest of seconds.

* * *

"Dude, Sora!"

The brunette blinked as he and the others stepped through the doorway to the new Gathering Hall in the town proper of Radiant Garden. Within, originally speaking with Cid about something, was someone none of them expected to see again.

"Roxas?!"

"Hell yeah bro!" The blonde teen grinned at his other half, the two coming together in a man-hug (which was a clasp of hands like a handshake, before both step forward, throw the free arm around the other's shoulders and slap the other's back a couple times) before giving the other wide smiles. Naminé smiled softly at the scene, having been sitting next to Roxas while he and Cid spoke about gummy ships and their pros and cons compared to simply using Dark Corridors.

"Holy crap man how did you get real?"

Roxas shook his head. "Hell if I know, I just woke up on the outskirts of town a few days ago with a splitting headache and with a case of the munchies like you wouldn't believe. Ran into Cid over there while I was trying to find somewhere to eat, and he mentioned your name. I told him I knew you and he said he'd put me up for a bit while he sent a message off to some Mickey guy. Looks like that wasn't needed huh?"

Sora shook his head at his Nobody's luck. "Man I thought something horrible happened to you when I couldn't hear you anymore."

Roxas lost his grin a little, nodding. "Yeah it was really weird. Felt like I was dead asleep. Couldn't see or hear anything. But then all of a sudden my chest starts hurting like you wouldn't believe, and then next thing I know I'm cursing the sun out for existing."

"Sounds like something you'd do, Sora." Kairi said from behind him. "Now if you could get the _fuck_ out the way so I can sit?"

Roxas blinked wildly, as he and Sora stepped aside so Kairi could slip past, before grabbing both their wrists and leading them to a small bench and sitting on it.

"Uhh…?"

"Long story. We'll tell you in a bit." Sora said to his other half. Roxas just nodded.

"I guess it has something to do with how Naminé's real too huh?" he said. Naminé nodded softly. Riku, Aqua and Alicia all walked through the door before noticing the four sitting off to the side. Aqua did a double-take as she thought she saw Ven, but shrugged it off. It _couldn't_ be him. He was back at what Sora called Castle Oblivion.

"Whoa…who're the hotties with Riku?" Roxas blurted.

"I know right?!" Sora agreed, where Kairi rolled her eyes and slapped him upside the head.

Alicia pinked slightly, giving a small grin while Aqua just huffed, but in amusement.

"The blue haired one is Master Aqua." Sora spoke.

"_Master_ Aqua? Jeez man I knew you were into some freaky stuff but I thought you kept that to yourself." Roxas quipped as he rose an eyebrow at Sora, who flushed heavily. Kairi just started cackling, kicking her legs wildly before wincing and holding her side.

"Oh, oh I shouldn't laugh…oh _Tia_ it hurts…but it's so funny!"

Alicia's amused grin faded slightly, as she caught what Kairi said. _There's that name again. First Seth, now Kairi. Who is __**Tia**__ and what does it mean?_

Actually, she noted that Roxas had turned to Sora and mouthed _"Tia?"_ at him, to which Sora shrugged, mouthing _"Part of it" _back. Kairi composed herself, still snickering, especially whenever she looked at the glare that Aqua was directing at Roxas.

"Master is her title Roxas. She was trapped in the realm of Darkness for over 11 years, but she was a Keyblade Master before it happened."

"Wait what?" Roxas was confused.

"It's part of the big info-dump we have. We're just waiting for one other person. Anyway, the blonde is _Princess_ Alicia, of the Kingdom of Dipan. She hails from another world."

Roxas blinked. "Right…"

Suddenly a voice called out. "Yo! Roxas! Where you at man?"

"Over here Lea!"

And to the group's surprise, from another door, came three _very familiar_ people, for some of them. Sora, Riku, Kairi and Naminé all gaped as the three people stepped up.

All three were male. One was a tall, chisled looking man with long blue hair. Another was a slightly shorter man with spiked-yet-long flaming red hair. And the third was a man roughly the same height as the redhead, with grey hair parted to the right side, slightly obscuring that half of his face from view. All three of them wore similar grey longcoats, bearing the symbol of Radiant Garden on the breast pocket.

All three of them, were former members of Organization XIII.

"…A-…Axel?" Sora stammered out.

"Lea, actually. And that's Isa (he pointed to the blue haired man, who nodded quietly) and Ienzo (he gestured to the other one, who did the same). Good to see you though, Sora."

Kairi just stared, a blank look on her face. She remembered Axel. The one who kidnapped her with the intent of making Sora act. But according to Sora, Axel gave his remaining existence to help Sora reach The World that Never Was. She didn't know how to feel about the man, thus she stayed quiet. Though she definitely recognized the blue haired man, who was standing there, silently. That was Saix, and he was an_ asshole_. The third, she didn't recognize at all. But Naminé did.

"Zexion." She whispered to her Primary. "He was more researcher than combatant. He usually just stayed out of everyone's way." Kairi nodded, still physically and emotionally sore about what Naminé did, but thankful for the information.

"Ok…Roxas coming back is weird enough, but how did-

Suddenly Sora cut off, head snapping to Kairi, who had suddenly stood up, clutching her chest. The others turned to her as well, while Lea, Isa and Ienzo all shot each other looks of confusion.

"He's coming." Kairi said. Sora nodded.

"Uhh…What's with Kairi, bro?" Roxas asked.

"That's part of the thing." Was all Sora could get out, before a deep plunging noise echoed, and a Dark Corridor formed.

"What the-

And then, a little girl with long white hair stepped out, before gently stepping to the side. Seconds later, a young man with black hair and light brown skin stepped through. He was going to make a greeting, but then saw the extra's. The portal flared one final time, before Seth seemed to lurch forward, just as the gateway vanished.

"Owww, Seeeth, you're supposed to get out of the way when someone else is…coming…"

The third figure, a female with short black hair, pale skin and bright blue eyes, stepped from behind Seth, rubbing her nose. She trailed off because she saw _five_ people she recognized.

Eyes widened all around, but none more than one, spiky blonde haired teenager.

"…Roxas…" the girl whispered, tears welling up in her eyes as her emotions began going haywire.

"…no way…" Lea spoke softly, stunned. Isa and Ienzo were staring in shock as well.

But none were more shocked than Roxas.

"…Xion…?"

The two stepped forward, as if they were possessed. Slowly, their hands rose, before touching. A jolt went through both of them, as if confirming yes, it was real. They both gave watery smiles to one another, before gripping each other tightly in a very close hug. Both of them began crying in joy.

"I thought I lost you…" Roxas barely got out.

Xion sniffled before pulling away, smiling. "You did…for a while. But…I guess my will to live was too strong. I survived."

"How? You were supposed to fade back into Me and Sora. I watched you die in my arms!"

She nodded. "I thought I was going to die too…I fell asleep, thinking I'd never wake up, after asking Riku to stop you before you got yourself killed. I made a mistake asking you to take on the whole Organization…you weren't strong enough for it. But…I woke up. I woke up in some…weird reality. I spent over a year there, in some crazy mashup world that was a mixture of everywhere we'd been together…but I woke up alone."

She turned, grabbing Roxas' arm and forcing him to look at Seth.

"And then _he_ appeared. At first, when I first saw him he was barely conscious, flickering in and out of existence. I didn't know what had happened, or how someone else had gotten to where I was. But then he came back, a while later. Solid. _Real_. And we talked. And finally I had company, if only for short periods of time. But I spoke, and he listened. I…kinda ended up unloading everything on him. And then…he made me a promise. A promise to find a way to make me real again." She turned back to Roxas.

"He told me, that there was a way to make real things that were just ideas. He told me that because I was still alive, and I was _strong_, not weak and barely able to move, that there was a possibility that somehow my existence _forced_ its continuation. He said that regardless of me being a clone of you, created to absorb you and Sora into myself, that I'd formed a heart of my own. And that heart existed within Sora's, creating a space for me. It was…hard to believe, but he said it with such _conviction_ that I couldn't hold back. And he was _right_. I still don't know how yet, cause he didn't want to tell me until he could tell everyone at once, but he _brought me back_." Xion gushed to her best friend, who was staring at Seth with something akin to awe on his face.

"How. How is such a thing possible?" Isa spoke up, gobsmacked.

"He turned the impossible, possible." Xion responded, a little frost in her voice.

"But _how_?" Isa pressed, ignoring it.

"Break through the limits and kick reason to the curb." Seth spoke. He opened his mouth again, and as he did, Xion, Naminé, Alicia, and Kairi all spoke at the same time as him.

"_**That's the Dai-Gurren-dan way!"**_

Seth blinked. "Ok, Red, Not-Red, and Ino I can get. But how in the seven hells of Saturn did you know that finisher, Princess?"

Alicia grinned at him. "Oh, while I was with Kairi and the others, she said it a few times during training. Said that was basically your life's motto."

"Ahh."

"Speaking of which." Kairi said. "You owe us some _serious_ answers."

"Yeah…but let's not get into that right now."

Kairi blinked rapidly. "Wait what the-

"Oi, Sora, pop quiz hotshot. You taken red on a date yet?"

Sora jerked back, completely thrown for a loop. "Uhh…"

"Now wait just a fucking-Guh!" Kairi was about to lay into Seth when he glanced at her, and she doubled over clutching her chest. "Cheater!" She roared out between gasps of air. Seth just smirked at her.

"Not my fault I know how to work the bond to my advantage. Actually I'm dreading the day you learn how to do that and I'm milking your lack of knowing for all it's worth. Anyway, question stands."

Knowing Kairi wasn't actually in pain, just being temporarily overloaded by Seth's will, Sora frowned and shook his head.

"You know she's into horror crap, right?"

Sora blinked. She was? Seth nodded to his unspoken question.

"Last I checked, wasn't there a place that was Horror personified?"

Sora's eyes widened. "Halloween town!"

"Exactly. And that place is connected to a nice little location with her favorite mythological being in it." Sora blinked, before grinning.

"I see you get it. Anyway, why don't you take Kairi and the others there for a little vacation, eh? When was the last time you just _relaxed_, and weren't just killing time waiting for the next shitstorm to pop up?"

Sora nodded. He had a point.

"_Wait just a __**goddamn fucking minute here!**_" Kairi yelled. The force of her will overwhelmed Seth for the briefest of moments, and he actually stepped back, hand racing to his _own_ chest, as his heart pounded rapidly. He gave a hard cough for a moment, before actually chuckling.

"Not bad Red…I actually felt that one."

"You're _stalling!_" She accused, eyes glaring at him.

"Yeah. And?"

"What the _hell_ that's not like you at all!" she countered.

"True." Seth admit with a sigh. "Alright look, at Valhalla I found something that was off, ok? I need some time to look into it real fast."

"The _fuck_ does that have to do with giving me my damn answers?!" Kairi demanded.

"It's tied into _everything_, Red. **Everything**."

"The hell's that mean?"

"Ok, that _secret_, you remember it?"

"…yeah." She said, deflating slightly.

Seth pointed to Xion.

"**She** was that secret, Red."

_That_ got Kairi to stop, staring at Xion.

"…what…?"

Seth nodded. "Everything I've been doing for the past couple weeks revolved around _her_. **Everything**. What I discovered is tied to that. I need to confirm something before I tell you everything. Just a little longer, Red. Then you'll know."

Kairi frowned, hands lowering as he was no longer contesting her. "…promise?"

Seth gave a small chuckle. "I promise."

Kairi gave a huff of irritation. "Fine…but you still haven't made good on your _first_ promise!"

Seth rose an eyebrow. "Haven't I? I never charged you for that combat information you took. And it even bled over to Naminé. I'd say that generally covers it."

Kairi frowned, running the idea in her head. "…damn you and your damn loopholes…"

"Technicalities, don't you love them?"

"Gaaah, fine."

Seth nodded and turned.

"Wait!" Xion called out. Seth stopped, looking back at her.

"You should come with us! You've been working way too hard Seth, even I can tell that and I'm not linked to you like Kairi is. You need a vacation too."

"Maybe…but that can come later."

"Why not now? We _are_ going to Christmas Town."

"Yes, and in order to _get_ there, one is forced to go through Halloween Town. I've been there once already, once is enough." He retorted. Xion frowned, but understood.

"And what's wrong with Halloween Town?" Riku pushed.

Seth gave him a blank stare. "Spiders, nuff said."

Riku blinked at the straight answer, and then remembered what happened the last time an arachnid creature appeared before Seth. He winced and then nodded his understanding. Seth gave a half-wave as he turned and walked towards the little girl, who poked the air.

"Wait we could drop you off somewhere!" Xion called out.

"Sora's gummy ship is absolute ass. I move faster on my own, you know that Ino." Seth said, as he stepped through the Dark Corridor.

The gateway closed and Xion sighed.

"Doesn't mean I didn't want to spend more time with you though…" she muttered, before shaking her head.

"…Ino?" Roxas questioned. Xion blinked, before giving a genuine smile to him.

"It's my name. I made it before I became real again. Ino Memoria."

"Huh…" Roxas muttered. "it's cute." Xion's smile just widened.

* * *

**A/N: **Another chapter down. We now see what happened after Seth performed the strange thing he did. But Xion was wiped from everyone's memories…how is it they remember her now? That…and more…will be explained soon enough.

**Tallbain:** Oh it's wierd alright, but the whole world is wierd so meh. I'm glad you like the remake. i'm hoping it will eventually make FAR more sense than the original. Well...what if i have a Monster throw a steel water basin at itself as defense training? Cause that kinda happens in Monster Rancher 4.

**D&S Master: **It's about bloody fucking time you showed up! and you're still missing out on four chapters! A friend of mine was getting kinda pissed that i was getting no reviews for this but meh. I just want people to read, if they speak then fine. Anyway, eesh got alot to cover. I'm considering changing the prologue actually. adding something in to help the flow of the story. you might like it.

Haha, now that i think about it seth is practically deadpool isnt he? eesh.

Seth going through an awakening has importance on the plot. as do all three stained glass images, just like for everyone else who went through an awakening. What those pictures meant...will be discovered later. yes, Seth doesnt play by others' rules. he replaces them with his own. D-D-D-Den-O! was the primary inspiration for much of this. though with this chapter you'll see Decade and Kabuto having influence too. Personally, i dont like Aqua. She made a couple key mistakes, including being part of the reason why Ansem/Mansex/Xehanort was able to do the shit he did during Sora's run.

Xion is the best character. She existed for all of one game, and was written into, and then out of the plot in the same game. She was a literal throwaway character, but she's interesting nonetheless. She's also fairly important for the plot in _this_ story. Aqua missing her armor and personal keyblade are due to what she did at the end of Birth By Sleep. Aqua's the older blue-haired woman. Xion (Ino) is the younger, black haired Kairi look-alike. Just look those two up for images, it'll help.

Seth and Kairi's connection is far deeper in this one than the original. with alot more consequences. you'll see.

As to which Kamen Rider's i've favored...i've only seen Decade, Kabuto, Den-O and W. Been stuck on Dragon's Dogma and writing this and other stuff so i havent seen any others really. Though i'm planning on starting up Wizard soon.

Anyway, for now…let us glimpse the future…

"I swear to you, you are _not_ a murderer."

"I want you to be happy."

"DON'T KILL HIM!"

"Dammit Ino…why can't I be happy with _you_?"

"Last time…we all almost died because of it…"

"I'm too clingy Roxas. I know that. You don't need someone like that right now. Maybe…maybe in the future, we could work out, but as I am…? No…you'd get tired of me."

"The hell were you thinking?!"

"So…you want a piece of it then…?"

"He called me Xion…the whole time…"

"_**What's the matter, Yuffie Kisaragi? We thought you were going to kick Our ass."**_

"I just…wanted him to lighten up is all…"

"**There are only two men in this life that I want touching me like that. You **_**aren't**_** one of them."**

"Miri was glaring at me…do you know what happens to things she glares at…? They die. Painfully."

"Hey, Sora! I'm not sorry about this."

"To draw this sword, means you are prepared to Kill."

"You're not Axel…you're just some **heartless nobody** wearing his face."

_**ANTI-FORM**_


	8. Consequence

Seth looked around at the battlefield in front of him. Two factions were going at it furiously. One side, was a bunch of strange, walking peaches. Some with two small oval eyes smack on the front, some with single giant proper eyeballs. They were riding apples, swinging umbrellas, twirling spears, and even spitting lasers. They fought alongside walking cards holding spears tipped with different suits; black slightly round-edged spikes shaped like spear heads, red inverted hearts, black diamond shapes, even black three leafed clovers. Both groups of that faction were being lead by a teenage blonde haired girl, wielding a small Keyblade, with a particular walking peach-marshmallow wearing a bandanna, at her side.

The other faction was a horde of emblem heartless. Fat humanoids, small bell-shaped creatures, clanking child-shapes in creaky armor, even plants rising out of the ground and spitting seeds. Both Seth and Miri blinked rapidly, at the sight before them, confused as hell. Last he checked, Sora had locked the keyhole to this world…so why the hell were these things still able to access it?

"Well…looks like we showed up at just the right time, eh?"

The small child nodded.

"How's about we help dear Alice out?"

Miri gave a feral grin.

A small blaze of crackling black and red sparks ripped around Seth's hand, forming into his personal Keyblade.

"Don't summon anything until I get the word spread that non-emblems are on our side, kay?"

She nodded before diving back into his shadow for transport.

**Kingdom Hearts RE: Order**

**Chapter VII: **_**Consequence**_

Roxas and Xion, now called Ino, had separated themselves from the group at large. After properly touring the fearsome horrors of Halloween Town, the group had taken the gateway to Christmas Town. The once-nobodies had never seen this side of the world before, Aqua was amazed that a _tree_ of all things was a gateway to an entirely different section of the world, while Alicia was impressed but slightly less so. After all, Valhalla was not only through a cave, but also across a nigh-invisible bridge of light that acted as a pathway between dimensions

Sora had taken Kairi to meet Santa, a man who Kairi was in pure _shock_ to find out actually existed. Alicia and Aqua headed off to explore, the blonde warrior princess asking the Keyblade Master questions about the Keyblade and her style of magic. Naminé had decided to wander the town, gazing at all the decorative houses, while Riku accompanied her, for lack of anything better to do. Isa, Lea and Ienzo, who had tagged along for the sake of getting off-world, were checking out Santa's workshop, with Lea mentioning wanting to put together a small present.

"So tell me again, in detail this time…how is it you're alive? I'm really glad you are, I mean but…"

Ino shook her head, smiling softly. "It's alright. To be honest I'm still shocked myself. But like I said before, I guess…my will to live was too strong for me to get erased properly. The way Seth explained it was that because of my experiences, I'd started forging a heart for myself. And because of that, I was becoming an individual, even at the same time that I was starting to drain you and Sora. When I gave myself up, for you two…I guess my forming heart took shelter in Sora's the way Kairi's did. And because of that, I ended up waking up in this world that was a mixture of every world we'd been to."

Roxas nodded, starting to get it. "So…because you had a heart, you couldn't completely fade?"

Ino shook her head again. "No…there's more to it than that. It was also the fact that I _believed_. According to Seth, a lot of reality is shaped by Belief. Especially everyone's individual experiences. Is the sky really blue? Does blood really taste like copper? Those questions can only be answered by belief. A person's belief in what 'blue' is, could change the color of the sky to them, and what a person thinks copper tastes like, changes what the taste of blood is. I believed in myself, in my experiences, and in you two. Because of that, I had a focus, a desire. And because I had a desire, and my desire was to never forget you two, somehow, I was able to cling to existence."

Roxas nodded again. "And you were then awake…like I was, inside Sora's heart."

"I was inside Sora's heart, but buried so deep that I couldn't interact with him or the outside at all. Unlike you, Roxas, I was too far within his heart to have any influence. I was…trapped…in a sense."

"So…how did that Seth guy reach you?"

Ino sighed. "I don't know. I never got to ask him. But…I kinda have a theory."

Roxas flicked a wrist, motioning for her to continue.

"Now, remember, it's just a theory, but…I think it had to do with his connection to Kairi."

"What's that all about anyway?" Roxas asked.

Ino shook her head. "Its part of the big explanation he has to give everyone. He's got a direct link to Kairi's heart, let's leave it at that for now. But anyway, my theory is that at some point, because of the link to Kairi, he bounced into Sora's heart, through her link with Sora, and fell into the part where I existed. The first two times were apparently accidents, he'd overloaded himself, fallen deeply unconscious. Every other time, since he'd apparently figured out how to get to me, was on purpose."

"And he helped you become real."

"Yeah. I don't really understand how he did it myself, but he did. Actually, one of the parts of it that I _do_ understand is that he used the Data Twilight Town you spent your time in, to do it."

Roxas' eyes widened. "Wait seriously?"

Ino nodded. "Yeah. He said that things made in the Data Twilight Town had the exact same properties as things outside it. Even more, things from in there, could be taken _out_. He said that's what Riku did for Sora, to clue him further into your existence."

"How the hell'd he know that?"

"Kairi. Trust me, you'll understand later."

"If you say so. So that was it? You just had to believe yourself alive?"

"Oh no there's much more to it than that. One of the things other than keep believing, was he had me write up, in my own little reality, who I was. Who I wanted to be, more like. The way he said it, was that I existed, but the greater universe as a whole 'forgot' me. All traces of my existence were erased when I faded into Sora's heart. But I was a physical and mental being, I had a physical presence once. So what he had me do, was write up my existence. Like writing a story, or a report. He said because he met me _after_ I faded away, his memories of me could be used, but having a written explanation of who I was, would help fill in the blanks."

"Sounds complicated."

"It was. I left all the technical stuff to him…"

"Sounds like you really owe him then."

"Oh I do…I owe him so much…" Ino gushed. She stopped and flushed slightly looking down.

"You like him…don't you?"

"I…" she flushed heavier but then nodded, not able to look Roxas in the eyes.

"I like him…but I like you too…I always did. It wasn't…until he showed up…did I really start to understand my feelings."

"So…do you…uhh…wanna…go out?"

Ino's head snapped up, staring at him. She opened her mouth to speak, but then shut it, lowering her eyes.

"I…I want to say yes but…I…I can't…not…not with you…"

Roxas didn't get it. "…eh? But you just said-

"I know. It's…it's just that…I want you to be happy."

Now he _really _didn't get it. "How would you and me going out make me unhappy?"

She shook her head. "I'm not good for you, Roxas. I wouldn't be able to make you happy."

"I…what…dammit Ino…why can't I be happy with _you_?"

She sighed, and then looked him straight in the eyes. "I'm too clingy Roxas. I know that. You don't need someone like that right now. Maybe…maybe in the future, we could work out, but as I am…? No…you'd get tired of me."

"What are you talking about? Did he-

"No! No it wasn't him. I…realized this on my own. He didn't say or do anything other than be himself. Roxas…listen. The entire time, before Seth appeared…you were always on my mind. That was one of the things that kept me going, my promise to never forget you…never forget the time we had together. I _clung_ to you, like a lifeline. When I look at it now…it was…not very good. You were all I thought about. Every day I'd wake up and think of you. And every time before I fell asleep, I'd think of you again, dreaming that we'd be together like before. Every morning was Roxas, and so was every night. You were all my life meant…it was…depressing."

Roxas had stopped walking, just staring at the girl, who was laying her heart out to him.

"I was borderline insane. Everything I did, I did for you. Every breath I took, every movement I made…it was with you in mind. I was like…some…twisted fangirl. It wasn't…it wasn't until Seth appeared, that I realized what was going on. I was _lonely_. So very, very lonely. And the thought of you was all that kept me from falling into a complete depression, even though I cried more often than I smiled. And then he appeared…and in one long conversation, he _understood_. He barely knew anything about what I was talking about, but he still managed to understand in his own way." She gushed, tears streaming down her face.

"And the second time he came, after we fought off those _things_, and I had to take off my cloak cause it had gotten all bloody and messy and ick…I didn't have anything to wear, and I _wasn't_ wearing anything underneath it. And without even thinking, without even turning around to look, he just hands me his jacket. And…when I put it on, it felt…it felt like when I'd held your Keyblade. It was _warm_ and comfortable and _familiar_. And then…he promised me he'd find a way to get me to be real again. And for a bit I thought of it as a way to get back and see you again…but then I realized…you might not exist anymore. Actually he _said_ you'd been absorbed. But he still promised. He promised to bring me back, even if I couldn't see you again…it would count for something." She continued.

Roxas just stared at the girl, a little overwhelmed. She was always…rampant with her emotions, but…this was something different entirely.

"And from then on…it became less about coming back for you…but coming back for _him_. To be real for the third person in my life to be kind to me…to help me…to _care_. And that's when I realized…I was _clinging_ to him. He'd started taking your place in keeping me sane, focused…_alive_. For a while it was him and you…but then…slowly…it became less you…and more him. And it _hurt_. I thought I was being such a _horrible_ person. It wasn't that I was forgetting you in the slightest, but that he was taking _your_ place in my heart. I…I haven't…told him about it…but I made mention…a couple days ago…asking what it meant when someone started replacing the memory of a friend, with a newer friend…"

She took a shuddering breath.

"He called it survival instinct. If the memory of that friend was getting too weak to keep oneself going, then a survivor latches on to a fresher memory, be it of that same friend, or a different one. A lot of people do it, when they're overwhelmed, they cling to emotions and memories that keep them going, give them reason to continue. I'd…accepted the idea that you might not exist anymore, that you might _never_ exist again…and I replaced your concept, with his. You two were the only people in my life, that never rejected me, right from the start. You both sacrificed so much for me…gave me so much…mean so much…"

"…but it's him that's your focus right now…isn't it…?" Roxas asked her softly. Ino nodded.

"I'm sorry…I really am…but…I can't control it. That was one of the first things Seth taught me…you can mitigate…but you can't control what the heart feels. It will feel what it feels, all you can do is learn to understand _why_. In a short period of time, he'd done just as much for me, if not just barely more, than you had, in that entire year we had together. And in that same small timeframe…I started feeling for him the same way I did you. And that put _me_ in perspective."

"…that's what you meant…by being clingy?" he pushed.

"Yes…I cling. Because he said it himself, I'm emotionally messed up. For a while, I was almost normal, because we had a routine, because I had understanding of myself, or so I thought. But then I found out I was fake. And at that time, that was my reality. And then I started draining you and Sora…and everything began falling apart. And then I understood…I wasn't meant to exist. I _shouldn't_ exist. I…don't think I need to tell you how much that _hurt_."

Roxas put his hand around her waist, pulling her close. No…she didn't need to tell him. He remembered going through those same feelings when that asshat DiZ told him who and what he was.

"And because of that…it messed my emotions up, badly. To the point where I saw killing myself as the best option…which…in a way, it was…which made it even _worse_. You…you were the first person to see me as a _person_. Axel…he…don't get me wrong, I missed him too…but…"

"He took a while…which left its mark. And he didn't want…to heed your wishes, which marked it further. I understand. I…kinda had to fight him myself too. Axel was…a little too torn between loyalties."

Ino nodded. "And then…Seth came. And right from the start, he treated me like a _person_. Shoot he even _flirted_ with me every now and then. It was…flattering…really."

Roxas blinked, and then started laughing. "Seriously?"

"Oh yeah, he's such a flirt. He even admits it himself. But…that just…made me cling _more_. Cause even _you_ didn't do that. I mean, not that I'd have expected you to understand how or why to…"

"Yeah, relationships weren't exactly covered in Nobody 101."

Ino giggled softly before continuing. "He accepted me…entirely. Even with my messy emotions…with my constant drive of seeing you again…to him…I was me…and that's all I ever was. I'd forged a self, according to him, and because I understood that, and choice, he had no issue at all seeing me as a person, and not a puppet. 'A man chooses, a slave obeys, a tool is used.' He said for a while, I was a tool, then a slave, but I became a _person_ when I made the choice to leave, and to die, to save you. 'It doesn't matter what you were born as, only what you chose to become.'"

Roxas nodded. The same could be said for all of the Organization, really. "So…you're clinging to _him_ now."

She nodded sadly. "yes…and I know I am…but if I tried to fight it, I'd just hurt myself."

"But you still have feelings for me."

She nodded again. "But I can't act on them. Or rather, I choose not to. Because if I did, I would cling to you. And…that's not something I want for you."

"But what about what _I _want?"

Ino sighed, pulling away slightly. "I'm sorry Roxas…I can't give you that. Believe me when I say things have become clearer now. I know where we would end up. It would be nice…for a while…but…my constant worry, my clinginess…it would start to irritate you. You…have a hard time saying no to me. You're…almost as clingy as I am. Almost. I think your time as an individual reduced that drastically, but you still cling to the few people you cherish. Anything I asked of you…you'd grant…but after a while…I'd ask too much. And slowly you'd get irritated. And it would just lead to us both being hurt."

Roxas stared at the girl. "And how is _he_ different?"

"Because he's dealt with, and held, people like me before. He knows what it's like to cling, he's done it himself. And he learned how to _not_ cling. And he knows how to deal with people who cling to him. He's got an iron-clad will. And he knows how to use it to say 'no.' And he knows how to say no, without hurting someone too badly. In a way that shows them they stepped past their boundaries, a way that shows them they aren't being a person, they're being a parasite. And he knows how to help someone understand that, and how to erase that. I can cling to him…and not slow him down in the slightest. He knows how to deal with someone like me. If I cling to you…eventually we'll both just get hurt."

"But if you cling to him…you're saying you'll just get stronger, in the end?"

Ino nodded. "He understands emotions in ways I can't even fathom. He claims to have spent the majority of his life, watching people, learning of people, and understanding them. And it shows. My heart…is clinging to him, the way it used to cling to you…but I know that by clinging to him…I won't be in anyone's way. I won't hurt him, by doing so."

Roxas sighed. "Alright…alright. But if he hurts you…"

"I'd have done something to deserve it." Was the immediate reply. Roxas blinked.

"Wait, how do you figure-

"He cares about me, Roxas. He'd only ever hurt someone he cared about to force them to grow, or because they hurt him first. And I have absolutely no intention of hurting him. Ever."

* * *

Once Seth had joined the fray, the battle became far too easy. The Emblem heartless were random, uncoordinated. They came en-masse, but didn't have any sort of leadership in the slightest. Sure, the Bell looking ones fluttered around firing cover-spells, while the green ones healed other heartless, but other than that, they just attacked with reckless abandon. With Seth, came Miri, and her horde of Purebloods. It was unusual for the defenders to see _any_ heartless assisting them, but once word got out that the ones without crests were on _their_ side, it was a welcome sight.

Plus, it wasn't much stranger than the waves of Waddle-Dees and Doos running around.

But while the battle became slated to the favor of the Queen's forces, and indeed, they were finishing mopping up the remaining Emblems, someone appeared.

Alice swung her Keyblade and knocked the helmeted head off of a flailing Knight…and froze.

Standing not fifty feet away from the battlefield, surrounded by Emblems, was a walking egg.

A _familiar_ walking egg.

Her eyes widened, pupils dilated, as suddenly she was thrown into a series of blocked memories.

Memories involving that very walking egg. Memories of trying to converse with him, being called a 'simple turkey', emotionally and mentally poked, prodded, assaulted and all but molested by the egg-man. His name, was Humpty-Dumpty, and he was an _asshole_. So much so, that in a rare but powerful blind rage, she _killed him_.

And then blocked all memory of him.

Fred, her personal Waddle-Dee ally, saw she had stopped, and tried to get her attention. It really wasn't a good idea to just stop moving on the battlefield. But she wouldn't respond. She kept staring. So, like anyone would do, he turned to see what she was staring _at._

"…oh…fuck me…"

* * *

Seth twitched as Miri yanked on his pant-leg. He looked down at her. _One of these days she's gonna pull my pants down doing that._

The Once-Heartless stared at him, and then pointed in the direction of Alice, who had dropped to her knees, staring at something off in the distance. Something was clearly wrong with the girl, because Fred was the only one still fighting. There were Emblems trying to surround her, but a group of Neo Shadows had appeared to defend the girl. Miri had sensed her heart's strength waiver, and had turned in time to see the girl's Keyblade drop to the ground and fade away. Knowing that such an event was usually a _bad_ sign, she got Seth's attention.

"Something's wrong with Alice?"

Miri nodded, slipping to his side and nudging him in her direction.

"You want me to go help her?" He wasn't against the idea, just…surprised.

Miri nodded again, and shoved harder.

"I get it, I get it, I'm going."

Miri nodded once more, turning back before ducking low, twisting on her heel and kicking a Knight away from her. Stupid Emblems thought they could get the drop on _her_ did they?

* * *

"So Rox, how'd it go?" Lea jovially asked his old partner and once thought best-friend.

"Well…we talked for a while…" Was the hesitant response.

"Obviously." Was Lea's counter.

Roxas just stuck his tongue out at the fire elemental and continued. "She wants to stay friends. Apparently she thinks she's too clingy for me."

"Ouch. Friendzone'd."

Roxas shrugged, before nodding to Alicia who was walking past. "To be honest I'm cool with it. I spent over a year not remembering her at all. It hurt, cause…like I mean she's cute and I like her and all. But it's not like…devastating, y'know? I mean, it was touching, really, to find out for the longest time I was the reason why she held on to her existence. But not having her for so long…not remembering her until recently…kinda messes things up, y'know? It's not like it was a year, and I suddenly woke up and remembered her and for me it was yesterday or something. It was a lot of awake time…without her. I kinda moved on without knowing I was moving on. Does that make sense?"

"Yes." Isa spoke. "I cannot claim to understand how you connected with it – _her_ (he corrected himself at both Lea and Roxas' glares) during our time in the Organization, but growing out of…a state of high affection for someone you haven't seen for a long time, especially with the condition of our memories of her existence having been…misplaced, for lack of a better term…it fits what is considered normal."

Ienzo nodded, off to the side, nose buried in another book.

"Speaking of which, where is she anyway?" Lea asked.

"Went to go see Santa. She wanted to ask him if she was on either of his lists."

Lea nodded. "Get any info on that guy?"

"Which guy?"

"The one who apparently brought her back."

"Seth? A little. Not much though. She's really smitten with him though." Roxas admit.

"So he's why she's not all over you right now?" Lea asked, a mild frown on his face.

"No…She's why she's not all over me. Actually no I don't even think she _would_ be even if she still felt the same. No, she said she felt generally the same for me, but because she was clinging so hard both to my memory, and existence itself, she ended up clinging to _him_ now. And while she could let herself cling to me…she didn't want to hold me back."

"That doesn't make any sense, wouldn't she be holding _him_ back too?"

Roxas shrugged. "Apparently not. According to her he's dealt with clingy people before. Knows how to react to them. She believes that even if it were to work out between me and her for a while, after a bit, I'd get tired of her clinging. He won't, cause he knows how to keep it from getting in his way, supposedly. He did a lot for her, in less time than either of us did. And he did it at a time she was extremely vulnerable. He believed what she told him right away, not asking for much proof at all, and immediately set out to find a way to bring her back."

"Sounds like someone we could have used in the Organization." Ienzo spoke up from his book.

"Yes…reliable, efficient, capable. We didn't have many of those, did we?" Isa spoke, very faint smirk on his face. He knew he was taking the piss out of the other two of their group, but hey, he had to start _somewhere_ in repairing what he broke.

Lea was his friend first, and he acknowledged that, even if he'd seemed to give it up while they were nobodies. But he was always the 'progressive' one of the two of them. Despite his strength and choice of weaponry, he was the one more capable of letting go and adapting, while Lea would try to hold on, and resist certain types of change. But he was loyal to a fault.

"_Anyway_." Lea said, mock glaring at Isa. "What're you up to now Rox?"

"Think I'm gonna go spot Ino a bit. I kinda wanna see if Santa's got my name too, since I'm kinda like her." The blonde stated as he turned and headed towards Santa's Workshop, throwing a wave over his shoulder.

"…you didn't tell him." Ienzo pointed out.

"Nah…'bout halfway through I kinda got the feeling he'd be against it, y'know?" Lea said.

"For good reason." Isa spoke. "I'm telling you Lea, this is a _bad_ idea."

"And I'm ignoring you." Lea countered. "Look, you heard Xio- I mean Ino. He needs to relax. Figure this'll do the trick."

"I can't say I agree." Ienzo spoke, turning a page in his book. "Judging from how quickly Xion and even Riku backed off on trying to get him to come along, it's likely they know something we don't about him."

"They probably let it drop cause he's stubborn. He's gotta be, if he spent so long trying to get Ino back to life without really knowing her." Lea retorted.

"If you say so…"

* * *

"…I tried to be cordial. I truly did. But all he would do is belittle me. And I didn't _do _anything! It just…it just got so stressful to the point where I just…snapped. I saw red. I wanted him to shut up, I wanted him to stop looking at me like I was just a worthless doll. I wanted him to stop calling me a bloody _fucking _'surkey'! I wanted him to hurt. …I killed him. I _killed_ him! I shattered his face and swam in his insides! And I…I couldn't remember. Afterwards I just felt so…tired. And I couldn't remember why I was covered in goop. I'm a _murderer_…"

Seth was crouching next to Alice. It took a little pushing, but she finally spoke. And she spoke of death.

"…Alice. You're not a-

"I _am!_ I broke him apart and bathed in his yolk! And I _enjoyed _it! Before I forgot, before I couldn't remember, I felt _happy_!"

"Dammit Alice _listen_ to me!" He grabbed the girl by the shoulders, her tear-streaked face turning to him, watery green eyes shimmering with pain, locking on to focused brown.

"He was an _asshole_! Ok?! Listen to me when I tell you he got what he deserved. What kind of person, in this world or _any_ goes and calls a damn eight year old-

"Ten."

"-Ten year old girl a 'simple turkey' for mistaking a belt for a cravat? Hell I'm twenty (_he's twenty? Damn, doesn't look a day over sixteen._) and I can't fucking tell the difference! He treated you like a dipshit would. You had every right to get pissed, you had every right to hurt him, especially since all you did was try to ask him a couple things."

"I _killed-_

"**No you didn't!**" She lurched back at the ferocity in his voice. "You _punched_ him in the _face_. Do you know what happens to assholes like him? People that go tormenting children because they can? They get the _shit_ beat out of them. _That's. It._ You did _exactly_ what anyone else, adult, teenager, child, or elderly, would do. You _punched him in his stupid fucking face_. Which was no _less_ than he deserved. It is _not_ your fault he died. He is a fucking _egg-man_. His face, his body, is an egg. Which means it has the exact same defensive capabilities of an egg. That is to say, _none_. You didn't kill him. You punched him in the face. He killed _himself_, when he pushed you to the point that you would _punch him in the face_.

You didn't make him. You didn't treat him at all in any way that would cause him to make you feel like shit. You didn't do anything except try to ask a couple questions so you could get the hell home. He took it upon himself to be an _asshole_. And as an asshole, he pushed his target too far, and got _punched in the face_ for it. It is _his_ fault that he died, because as an asshole, he didn't think for a second 'well if I keep saying this she'll either break down and cry or hit me. And I'm an egg so getting hit would be pretty much death for me.' No. He didn't. He was an egg-man, who pissed off a little girl who was only trying to ask a couple questions, and got _punched in the face_ the way _anyone else_ who was being an asshole of that caliber would.

And because he's an egg-man, when that happened, he _broke_. His face got _shattered_. He killed _himself_, by not checking himself, nor paying attention to the fact that any impact faster than a gentle shove, and stronger than the flick of a finger, would _break him_. He did it to _himself_. Not you."

"Then how do you bloody explain the fact that I was _happy?!_"

"Because you'd just _shut him up_. There's satisfaction in silencing a detractor. In any way. You felt good because now he'd shut the fuck up. You likely blocked it out because some part of your mind recognized that you'd broken him to pieces, and technically now he was dead, and you didn't want that on your consciousness. That, or he'd managed to piss you off that you went into a blood-rage. Either way, it was _his _fault, not yours. You were a _child_. And a _mostly normal_ one at that. Most children don't _have_ extensive emotional conditioning to be able to resist asshollery such as his. Hell most _adults_ don't!

Believe me when I say that he did it to himself. You were just the tool he ended up using. I swear to you, you are _not_ a murderer."

She stared at him. Truly stared.

"…do you promise…?" she spoke in a small, fearful voice.

He gave a gentle sigh and pulled her close to him. She needed a hug, and a reassuring friend. He could provide. "I promise. Believe me…I know murder. You aren't a murderer. Yes, he died because you punched him, but you punched him because _he _was being an asshole. And being an asshole was _his_ choice. Not yours. He died because of something he chose to do."

She gripped his shirt and cried.

"Hey…hey…no time for that right now kit." She pulled away, a little disappointed. Even she could tell she was emotionally backed up by the issue.

"We'll get back to this later, ok? Right now, we have a problem. He was _dead_. Why is he alive now? Not only that, he's got Emblems listening to him. That's _not normal_. Nor is it good. Now, he's not just being an asshole. He's being a threat to your World."

"…we need to break him again…and make sure he _stays_ broken." Alice responded, steel in her voice.

"Damn right. So, you up for breakfast?"

She gave a feral grin, made scary as _hell_ by the tear-streaks down her cheeks, puffiness to her eyes and cheeks, as well as the wildness of her hair.

"How do you like your eggs?" She asked, all too sweetly. They stood together as he grinned, Alice's Keyblade returning to her hand.

"Scrambled, bitch."

* * *

_**Full Charge**_

**Final Attack Ride:**

_**N-N-N-Naminé**_

Energy crackled up Kairi's torso, to the tips of her Keyblades. Naminé slammed her Keyblade into the ground, a series of thick chains appearing from thin air and binding the stubby arms and legs of the walking sock-monster-ghost-demon, as well as multiple chains wrapping around its considerable girth.

"**TWIN RAVE!"**

Kairi swung both Keyblades diagonally down from opposite sides, an X shaped wave of energy ripping from the distortion created by her efforts. The blast slammed into the struggling monster, as Oogie-Boogie screeched in pain. He fought with all his existence against the destructive intent, but it was for naught as a series of semi-transparent card-shaped glyphs appeared in the air, coming together like sliding doors.

Naminé had kicked off her grounded Keyblade and into the air, performing a forward flip before righting herself and drawing back her right fist, which began gathering a smaller series of ringed glyphs around it with each card shape she passed through. As the cards seemed to shatter, her body flickered in and out of existence every few cards, as if they were teleporting her closer and closer to her target, before she hauled forward and slammed the glowing fist into its chest, right in the center of the still present glowing X. The chains shattered as Oogie-Boogie's body was thrown backward, the ringed glyphs and the X mark going flying with him, before it all detonated in a considerable explosion, a roar of pain being the final sound he made before he was destroyed.

Again.

Lea, Roxas, Isa and Ienzo were all stunned. As Naminé and Kairi's transformations dropped, and the belts faded away, the rest of the group caught up to Kairi, who had picked up Naminé's Keyblade and was bringing it to the blonde.

"**DUDE!**" Roxas yelled, catching the others off-guard.

"When the hell did you two get so _badass_?!"

"**Seth.**" Seven voices replied at once.

* * *

_Kill_.

The scream caused everyone to jolt violently. It would have been silent, but Lea's howling laughter echoed through the hall, chasing the shrill, almost feminine sound. A large hairy black spider went flying out of a colorful box, the black haired keybearer called Seth reeling backwards, sheer terror on his face.

It was he, who had screamed.

_Kill._

Time seemed to slow. All of his senses seemed to dull, the world turned a murky grey, sounds becoming muted, only the sound of his heartbeat, the feeling of agonizing fear filling every pore of his skin. Every sense was on high alert, but was yet, at the same time, weakened beyond compare. The world had dimmed, color had drained from all.

Except one.

_**Kill**__._

There was one.

A man.

With bright, garishly red hair. A shade not dissimilar from Kairi's. Though the world had dulled, the sense of time passing had faded, slowing to a crawl…

Seth could see him, clearly.

And he was _laughing_.

_**Kill.**_

And then Seth snapped.

The fear vanished, drained away, deep within his heart. Upon arrival it was smashed, broken, shattered, compressed, reformed, re-tempered, into a raging fire of hatred. A desire beyond all other desires.

_**Kill.**_

This man had _dared_ to use the guise of an act of friendship, to wield Seth's known weakness against him, like a joke.

This worthless sack of _flesh and bone_ used the connection between he and Xion to such an extent to throw the one thing that caused Seth to go into an immediate shutdown of all higher function, for the sake of his own _laughter_.

_**KILL!**_

This was no accident. This was no random chance. No sudden shift of fate or luck, where the man once known as Axel would behold Seth's reaction and laugh accordingly. This was deliberate. This was _planned_. Seth trusted the package given to him by the red haired man due to the man's connection to Xion. By proxy, Seth had trusted Xion enough to believe that such an act was not even fathomable, coming from this man. Especially since there was no doubt that Xion had informed all of both her two friends from the past, Seth's hand in her revival.

And this was Seth's payment. From the man who should have if anything, been thanking him on bended knee for returning his _other_ most dearest friend to him.

_**KILL THE BETRAYER!**_

* * *

It all happened in a matter of moments.

There was all of perhaps ten seconds of Lea laughing, before suddenly Kairi seized up. Her eyes widened, before _it_ hit her with the force of a freight train dropped out of slipspace.

The first sign that something _bad_ was coming, was when she lurched violently and immediately vomited.

Blood.

It was Naminé's concerned and horrified yell of Kairi's name that caused Lea to begin to sober. His laughter started to fade, solely because that…didn't sound right.

The second sign, was that Sora gripped his chest, as his nose began to bleed of its own accord. He dropped to his knees with a loud **THUD** barely making anything beyond a low, pained groan.

Lea began to stand up, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, smile fading. It was just as Aerith - who was further into the hall, with Yuffie, Squall, and the other Radiant Garden natives – had begun rushing to Kairi's side, that the third sign presented itself.

Seth…had vanished in a ripple of air. But it wasn't just that, for only one person had noticed his movement. The third sign, was that Miri **didn't **go with him.

These three signs together, combined into one wave of knowledge that ripped through Ino's head. She didn't need a connection to his heart, to know what was about to happen. On reflex, her mouth opened before her brain could catch up and tell her to remain silent. Her rampant emotions, always chaotic ever since she discovered them, had taken hold. Fear, for the life of the one she called brother.

"DON'T KILL HIM!"

* * *

Never before had he been so scared.

It was all a rush. Months, years later, he'd look back on that moment, and be _amazed_ at how much control that kid had. But at the time?

At the time he was wondering how soon he'd be able to change his pants.

A mere half second after the last word from Ino's mouth raced through the air, Seth had re-appeared. Slammed into Lea feet first, the older, taller redhead's body thrown into a space where floor met wall, Seth's feet on the elder's arms, preventing them from moving. But there was something else.

A single blade held in hand.

But it wasn't a _Keyblade_.

Silence reigned, save for Kairi's coughing moans as she practically rolled in her own bloody vomit. The air was thick with tension, everyone having frozen where they were.

Seth held, in his hands, a gleaming katana. Where he got it from, nobody knew, but it was poised, right at Lea's forehead, tip pointed to his skull, ready to pierce through in an instant. First, Lea himself saw the edge of the blade. Subconsciously, he noted it looked like it was distorting the light around it, somehow. Wisps of faint crimson leaking off of it, writhing, coiling like a snake before fading into the ether. A powerful magic must have been around the blade. He traced the blade back down, to the silver-grey ring-shaped guard, to the blood red cloth around the handle, to the hands holding the blade, taking note of how it seemed one hand was restricting the other, all the way up to the eyes of Seth, who was staring right at him, as if into his soul.

Eyes that no longer looked _human_. Angry, glowing orange-red, demonic looking eyes with narrow slits for pupils, seeming to pulse with strange almost crystalline markings. Small tiny flecks of shimmer coming off of the light above, seeming to take the form of violet tinged hexagon shaped slabs, barely noticeable unless one was close enough. Eyes that promised death, pain, agony…eyes locked onto his own.

And yet…for years to come, Lea would _swear_ that he saw the outline of a large, winged beast around Seth. A _dragon_. A dragon made of pure malice and pain. Destruction given form. An aura of violet seemed to be around the teen-looking warrior, and that aura, to Lea's eyes, took the outline of a dragon prepared to strike him down in an instant.

But Seth's hand was shaking.

And slowly, a low moan came from Kairi. The moan grew louder, as her body began to shiver, the girl face down in a pool of her own bloody puke, gurgling a continuous, guttural cry. The moan became a groan, which grew louder until it was a long continuous yell, which mutated into a scream as the girl's hands rose up her chest and to her head, pulling at her hair as she thrashed around. Her nails gripped her skull and she pulled downward, the scream becoming a shrill, piercing cry.

For a moment.

As everyone flinched, the glass in the windows rattling at the force emitting from the girl's voice.

For a split second.

When her eyes snapped open.

Something that only three people took notice of. Something two of them dismissed as a trick of their minds caused by the frequency of the girl's cry.

For just a moment.

Kairi's hair turned black, as her eyes turned red.

But that moment was lost, when her scream intensified for a second, echoed by a loud tearing sound, as if someone had just ripped a giant piece of cloth. There was a _heavy_ wave of pressure that washed over all of them.

And Seth was gone. Kairi dropped to her side, eyes wide, panting, coughing. But before anyone could even think of moving, the ground began to vibrate, a low rumble being heard as if a massive explosion had occurred off in the distance.

Miri just watched it all, a slight surprised expression on her face at first, before it gave way to a stone-faced glare. Silently, she stood, gripping the air as the black spider scuttled wildly. The spider lifted up, before a lance of pure black impaled it, shredding it to pieces. With another glare, this one directed at Lea, dark energy enveloped her, the sudden pressing feeling snapping everyone out of their shock, to watch the girl vanish into a Dark Corridor. She knew where to find Seth, though she was shocked that he'd separated from her. The surprise was broken by Sora slowly getting to his feet, lower face crimson from streams of blood that flowed from both nostrils.

"Sheeeee-…Eee…Eee…noooooo…I-Ino…g-go…go…goooooo…fiiiiind…" He tried to speak, head still _fucked_ from what just happened.

"I…M-me…?" Ino was shaken from the display, the knowledge that Lea was a literal millimeter from death filling her mind.

"F-fiiiiiinnnd…" He collapsed, caught by Roxas, who had slipped to his side.

"Find Seth…Ino. I don't know what's going on…I don't think any of us do. But…you're the only one who can move freely right now. We'll…handle things here."

She looked at her best friend-turned-crush-turned-best friend with hesitation.

"_Go_." Kairi said, strongly. Her eyes were still wild, even as Aerith threw cure after cure at the redhead, but they'd focused on Ino's. "_Traitor._"

There was no accusation in her voice. No condemnation, no nothing. It was a _warning_. Ino's eyes widened in horror, as she understood what it was that Kairi was saying.

Kairi was still getting emotions from Seth. Understanding the concept of such a bond, due to her own experiences, though she didn't hold the type of bond that Kairi and Seth had; she knew what it was that Kairi meant. Seth felt _betrayed_. And that was a **very bad thing**. So jarred by the revelation was she, that immediately she ripped open a Dark Corridor and _leapt_ into it.

The hesitation had left. This was a bad situation, and she knew it.

Off to the side, where he had been left, Lea sat stunned. He was stunned by how close he came to death…to dying. It wouldn't be for another hour that it sunk in for everyone. It wasn't a _Keyblade_ Seth was using. There was going to be no banishing of the Heart. There was going to be no consumption by darkness. No nobody created afterwards. No return or revival. Seth had used a _normal sword_. He was going to _**kill**_ Lea. Permanently.

It wasn't until Lea felt something wet streaming down the left side of his nose, and he wiped it, did he realize how close to True Death he came. As he wiped the unknown fluid, he looked at it, blinking, when he realized it was **blood**.

Seth's blade had penetrated flesh. And if it wasn't for Ino's timing…if she was even a half second later…that blade would have pierced bone.

And Lea would have learned what it felt like to die a True Death.

* * *

"_**Oh…oh my. That's…that's not good."**_

"Eh? Oh for the love of Me what is it _now_?"

It had been a few days since the world tried to break itself apart for no damn reason at all. Hades had returned to his normal deal of torturing, plotting, lounging…the usual. And suddenly, that voice spoke up again.

"_**There has been…a shift. A tie has nearly snapped. This is…not what we want."**_

"Did I ever mention how much I love how cryptic you are?"

"_**The boy. A tie to sanity has been frayed. Badly. One who was trusted by one he trusted, has betrayed that trust. And that is…the fastest way to die a messy death, with him."**_

"So…what's that got to do with me?" that didn't even make sense. Seriously. What the Him did that even mean?

"_**Little…unless he chooses to come here again. Heed this warning: this betrayal has broken one of his moral barriers. The quality of that which is considered 'life', has now lost significant meaning to him. Do not antagonize him, in fact, I would suggest discreetly sending a message to your brethren not to push or test him in any way. This was something I was hoping to avoid…rather we both were…but now that it's happened, he is more likely to see that as a challenge to his existence. And then he will kill you."**_

"…yeeeeaaaaah I'm gonna get on that now."

* * *

**CRACK**

The whole hall echoed with the crisp sound of flesh meeting flesh. Once again, the small "corner" that the Keybearers had occupied, suddenly became the center of attention. The Restoration Committee had reconvened the morning after Seth's violent disappearance. Kairi had passed out the afternoon before, blood-loss and emotional overload taking its toll. They were afraid to move her from that location, so Cloud and Leon had been commissioned to get a futon for the girl to sleep on, so the floor wouldn't hinder her recovery. Sora wasn't as bad off, he had a pretty bad headache once he stopped feeling so dizzy, and ended up sleeping off the effects of the altered Potion that he'd been given.

With it being the next morning, the Committee had gathered again, only for a couple hours work and discussion to be done, before a small figure walked in, and promptly delivered physical reprimanding to Lea. It was these brief moments of crazy that drew Yuffie out of her funk, for minutes at a time, Aerith mused. Since the attack by that human speaking Heartless, the girl had been…very off. Very bad off. No life to her eyes, no energy.

But her story would come later.

For now, there was a loud slap. Ino had returned, not by way of Dark Corridor, however. She walked in the door like normal, walked up to Lea, and slapped him.

Hard.

"What. The _hell_. Were you thinking." If it wasn't the slap, it was the hard, yet wavering voice that Ino spoke in, that hurt him the most.

"I…I thought…it would be funny." He'd never seen her like this. He'd seen her in various states, usually either hyper or morose, and once kinda mad but this…this was…

Different.

"Funny. You thought it would be _funny_." Her eyes stared at him, wide, incredulous.

"I…well…yeah…I mean…you said it yourself, he needed to relax…" Why was she making him feel so uncomfortable? He'd already gotten the third degree from Kairi that morning. The extremely pissed other redhead laid into him heavily, the others of the Keybearer group-plus-Alicia informing _everyone_ about how the last time he was faced with a spider, that little girl was a Heartless, that blew it, and half the forest to hell.

Yeah. He should have listened to Isa.

"Why would you do such a thing you…you…_mediocre dunce._" Lea blinked. Where the hell'd _that _come from?!

"Do you have _any_ idea what you've done?"

"Ah…a few."

"No. No you don't. You have _no_ idea. Because you're thinking of what you've done to _him._ Not what you've done to _**me**_." She pushed, the waiver fading into a very hard…_cold_ tone.

"Wait…to you? What did he-

"Not him. _You._" He took a step back as her eyes seemed to give a brief flare.

"He did _nothing_ to me. And that's the _problem_. I found him. I found him and it _hurt_. It _hurt_ to be near him. I felt like I was being _crushed_. And he wasn't even _thinking_ about it. I tried to apologize, tried to _talk_, and he listened. He even accepted my apology. But it changed_ nothing_. He kept calling me Xion. Do you know what that all means? No. No you don't. You don't know. But I do. I know what it means. It means he doesn't _trust_ me anymore. He _trusted_ me. Do you know how that felt? To be _trusted_. To be _believed_ in? To feel all alone but to have someone, some random person, believe in you with everything they have? And then to have that _taken_ from you? By someone _you_ trusted?"

Every word was spoken at the same, even level. The tone would waiver, occasionally rising a faint octave, but never reaching yelling, or even _loud_ status.

"He called me 'Xion'…the whole time. Do you have any idea what _that_ means? It means he no longer believes me _worthy_ of the name I chose. The name he _led_ me to choose. The name that proved I was an individual. **Miri** was glaring at me. Do you have any idea what happens to things she glares at? They die. _Painfully._ And it's _your_ fault. I trusted you. I trusted you and because I trusted you, he trusted me, to trust you. He trusted that I knew you, that I knew who you were, that I knew what you would do under any given situation. He trusted me to deal with you, to give warning of how you acted, reacted, what you were thinking, how you thought, what your motives would be."

She was stepping towards him now. Every sentence spoken faster, more frantic. The look in her eyes was wild, furious. He'd never seen her like this before. She almost looked…_insane_.

"You betrayed us _both_ with that stunt. And then I…I betrayed _him_ when I asked him _not_ to kill you."

That…made no sense. "How wou-

"Because you should be _dead_. You took his one, known, _ultimate_ weakness. The one thing that puts him into _live or die_ mentality in an instant, and used it for a _practical joke_. You relinquished all tie to life the moment you did that. He was your judge, your jury and he was _supposed_ to be your executioner. But then I stopped him. I stopped him because I didn't want to lose you. I stopped him because I was _afraid_. And he _listened_. He listened because **I **asked it of him. But by asking him to _not kill someone who deserved to die_, I betrayed him. Because to him, I chose you, the betrayer, over him, the betrayed. You. Should. _Be. __**Dead.**_ But you're alive because I asked of it. Do you remember now? What Kairi said to me before I left to find him. She called me _traitor_. Because that's how _he _saw it. And she was _right._"

Now he was getting a little scared. The insane, raging glint in her eyes had flared brighter. He could practically feel the oppressive aura coming off her. He'd beaten her once before…once. But she had been with _him_ now. And who knows what kind of twisted training Seth put her through? And before, she was still hesitant. This time, she looked focused. No…if he were to fight her now…

He was certain he'd lose.

"Do you know, what happened to the last person to betray him? She died. Painfully. She was hunted down by his apprentice. And his apprentice _murdered the crap out of her._ His apprentice took the very fabric of space and used it to slowly corrode away her flesh down to her bones. And through temporal manipulation, kept refreshing her brain so she would _never fall unconscious_. Meaning she felt every iota of agony as every cell within her body was slowly broken apart. Every concept of pain imaginable, never allowed to fall asleep or unconscious as an escape, never allowed to fall into madness. And when his apprentice was done, and his betrayer was lying on the ground, broken, bleeding, healed back to full health through time manipulation, only for the process to repeat itself six more times, leaving her with only the barest bit of flesh holding itself together, arms ripped out of their sockets, legs broken and shattered, do you know what he said? Hmm? Do you?"

He was now _very _scared. Slowly, barely, he shook his head.

"_You missed a spot._"

Oh fuck.

Ino's eyes were wide, insanity had taken hold completely.

"And then _half the city_ was vaporized. **Just to make sure **_**all**_** of that woman was gone**. She was _**murdered**_. And he **praised his apprentice for it.** Even though she'd possibly killed a bunch of unrelated people at the same time. But he stopped himself from killing you, because I asked it. He was going to give you a swift end, because of our connection. But now? Now I don't know. But I know one thing. Even though it _hurt_ to be near him, like my body was going to collapse just by being around his essence. Even though Miri was glaring at me, like she was waiting for me to make a move so she could tear me apart. He spoke. And I listened. And he opened my eyes…"

Oh they were open alright. And they were scaring the shit out of Lea.

"He told me…about you. What he learned from Kairi. How you were the one to kill Vexen. And Zexion. And how you intended to kill Marluxia and were willing to kill Naminé to do it. But Sora stopped you. And after Marluxia was dead at Sora's hands, you came back to Us. He told me how you tried to kill Roxas, after he left, and was taken by Riku. How you kidnapped Kairi, all to draw Sora out, so you could try to rouse Roxas. You were willing to kill Sora, even. If it meant that Roxas would return."

So…she knew now.

"But even so…knowing all that…I know…there's a difference now. I've seen it. Your loyalty was always questionable. For Roxas and I…in the end, we knew we were loyal to one another, more than anything else. We knew we were loyal to you, more than the organization. But you…you were always a question. And you proved yourself to _be_ a question, time and time again. It _felt _like we could trust you, love you…but your actions…well, I won't speak for Roxas, but I speak for myself when I say I was confused by you. But even with that confusion…I know how Axel thought. Axel was a strange being. A goofball. A murderer. A friend. A brother. But he wasn't an idiot. And he wasn't malicious. Nor would he do something so _stupid_ as what you did."

The insanity was gone. And that scared him the most. That it just _vanished_. As if she was in _control_ of it.

Clingy indeed.

"I know Axel. Axel was smart. He would have sat and waited. He would have come to _me_ to find out how to get Seth to lighten up. He wouldn't have done something so fundamentally _stupid_ as take a spider, present it to Seth in the form of a gift, and watch and laugh as Seth freaked out. If anything, he'd have just gotten him a watch…or some ice cream or something. A gift, for looking over his best friend."

With each sentence, Lea felt lower and lower. Could this get any worse?

"I know Axel. But I don't know Lea. And frankly…I don't think I _want_ to know Lea. Axel was my _**brother**_. You're not Axel…you're just some _**heartless nobody **_that wears his face."

It got worse.

As she spat those final words at him, eyes filled with pain, sadness, _hatred_, she turned on her heel, and began walking away.

"Wait, Ino! Where are you going?!" Roxas called to her. She stopped dead in her tracks, and turned her head to him.

"I'm going to do what my **heart** tells me. I'm going to his side. And I'm going to **endure.**"

"Good luck."

Ino blinked at the voice, eyes turning to Kairi, who was pulling the damp towel off her head, giving a tired smile.

"It hurts…right now. Everything hurts. Because he's hurting. Something…must be wrong, if his hurt is spilling out like that. But…if you stay by him…while he hurts…if you feel _his_ hurt…as your own…maybe you can fix what was broken. I think…I think he likes you…a lot. Because it hurts more than it should. You must have made a good impression on him, for him to hurt this way."

Ino's eyes watered. That…wasn't exactly how she wanted to confirm his feelings.

"But…it's getting quieter…you should hurry…"

Ino nodded.

"Take me with you."

She blinked, noting the blonde, Alicia, was standing and running towards her, pulling on a familiar cloak.

"I owe him a fair amount. And…I know the pain he's going through, personally. I want to be there, at the very least as a friend. And who knows, maybe we can charm him out of his bad mood together."

Ino blinked. "Do you think that would work…?" she asked.

Alicia gave a grin. "Well, if it fails, at least we might make him laugh…right?"

Ino nodded slowly. It was worth a shot. The two vanished into a Dark Corridor.

Roxas just stared at the space the two girls had occupied.

"…I have the weirdest boner right now." Riku suddenly muttered. Yet due to the silence, _everyone_ heard him. One could almost _hear_ the stares headed his way.

He was, however, saved by everyone's favorite Nobody.

"And here I thought I was the only one…" Roxas added.

Of course, that just set Kairi off laughing, even though it hurt her head to do so.

* * *

"What do you want."

(BGM: Wild Arms – The Power which Supports the World)

"Uhh…why is there music…?"

"Get to the point Kairi."

Once again, the two found themselves in an unusual space. This conceptual imaginary location, created by their connecting minds, was a meeting ground for the two. And like the imaginary space that once housed Xion, Seth's presence within it generated background music. Though the conceptual space that they resided in was bare, a black void with only a single gigantic glyph on the ground for light and color, the place felt…almost peaceful. The lack of full peacefulness being the obviously irate warrior in front of her, as well as the rather…morbidly dangerous sounding tune playing in the background.

The redhead shook her head, deciding to ask later, when he was in less of an…irritated mood.

"There's…a problem. A friend of Sora's…she's kinda in a bad spot right now."

"I don't see what this has to do with me."

"Her name is Yuffie. Yuffie Kisaragi. She's one of the defenders of this world. She's apparently usually very energetic, upbeat…basically a genki girl."

"Again, I don't see why you're telling me this."

"She's being the complete opposite right now. Has been for the last two weeks, apparently. There was some sort of attack by some…new breed of heartless or something. And it left her…well…in a pretty messy depression."

He didn't look at her once. She frowned, but pushed on.

"I…I wanna ask your help."

"No."

"I'll pay you!"

"..."

"I really will! I don't care what it is. Information, munny, food, housing…_me_."

His stance shifted. "Why are you so desperate for _my_ help?"

"You…you're the only one out of all of us with any experience dealing with mental issues. You know…knew…so many various people…you've seen so many states of emotion…"

"I never went to any school for it. I never said I was a doctor of any sort."

"No, but you have insight beyond the norm, and we need that right now."

"Why? She's but one of many. So she's a friend of Sora's. Even with your connection to him, that means little."

"She's…she's one of _my _people. She was defending _my _world, my _home_…even when I'd forgotten about it. As the last remaining member of the Radiant Garden Royal Family…I owe her. I owe all of them. She's in a bad way…and I owe it to everyone to at least _try_ to help."

Seth scoffed. "So it's simply duty then."

"No. It's duty, and friendship. She's a friend of Sora's…and a naturally decent person, so I hear. Apparently after overdoing it in a fight with Leon in Traverse Town, she was the first person he saw…he thought she was me with a dye job. They're good friends…and I'd like to be her friend too."

"You just want to do it when she's worth being around then."

Kairi frowned. "That's not it at all and you know it. Ugh…" She was close to losing it. He really _was_ in a bad mood.

"Look…I want to hire you to at least _try_. Whatever you want as payment, I'll give you."

"Anything."

"Anything at all. No matter what."

"That doesn't restrict much. I could ask for your life. Or Sora's. Or Riku's. Or anyone's. I could ask for your body. To make you my slave for the rest of our existence. To bind you to my very being, force you to follow my every command. I could have you drop down and play with yourself on the dining table. Walk you naked around every possible town on every world we could reach, you on a leash with me holding it."

"Yes. Yes you could." At this point…she didn't know what he'd do. Normally, such talk was just that, talk. A warning that you were stepping close to risky territory. A way to get you to check yourself, see if that was what you truly wished to offer.

Now? Now, she wasn't sure if he was just testing her, or if he was really pissed with the world enough to do that to her.

This is one of many reasons why dealing with him was dangerous. But she'd chosen her path. And she would stand by her choice.

To do anything less, would be to lose his respect. And if that happened, there would _be_ no question.

"You would really put their lives on the line? Would you truly put yourself at that level of risk?"

Kairi swallowed. It was a gamble. Even if she gave him the answer that would have him help her…it was a _real _gamble now, what he'd demand of her as payment. He truly was an entirely different being when he was angry. But she'd chosen to walk into his realm when he was in a mood beyond his normal self. She had made the choice to interact with him during a time where he preferred to be left alone, to muse, to think, to _contain_.

Anything he did to her, she deserved. After all, she was the one bothering the hurting Dragon.

"Yuffie is _needed_ here. She can fight the Heartless, she can fight _well_. Even if they don't stay dead without a Keyblade. The others say she's the fastest sprinter out of all of them. So even if she couldn't fight, she could deliver messages. This world _needs_ her. Even with…with Lea…and Isa, and Ienzo around, she's still needed. None of them can move as fast as she can. And We…we travel. We go to various worlds. We're _needed_ to go between worlds. I…I need to know…that while I'm gone, I have a strong defensive line here, in case something happens."

"…"

Shit. Silence. Not good.

"And…and she's Sora's friend. And I want her to be _my _friend too. Sora likes her, and I want a reason to like his friends. She was one of the people who took care of him while he was fighting. They've sparred together, they've had conversations. I _owe_ her, for keeping him on track. She helped him out of a fair few binds, and it's the least I can do to repay her for being there for him when I couldn't.

"…fine."

Kairi sighed with relief. He'll help. Now the worrisome part: what he wanted in return… "Umm…not that it's any of my business but…where…?"

"Miri took me to the Dark Ocean. She wanted me to center myself."

"I see…that explains why they couldn't find you…I had a feeling you had gone off world. Umm…how long…"

"I'll be there by tomorrow afternoon."

"Alright. Thank you…I guess…we'll talk payment after?"

He nodded sharply.

"Right…umm…I'll see you…then."

Slowly her essence faded from the conceptual space.

But he remained.

"Tch…Kisaragi Yuffie…ka?"

He shook his head.

"I said I'd do it…but I never said _how_. I guess I could work out some aggression on her…"

* * *

He was quiet with his entrance. A veil of darkness surrounded him. Ever since Miri appeared, spells that obscured light, or outright caused pure destruction, were easier to cast. Many no longer required incantation, and those that did, were incanted faster. Where before, some spells would require ten seconds worth of energy manipulation and incanting, to gather the proper picture, now, it was less than two, and done in only two words.

And all of this, before he actually went _practicing_.

So it was simple to cast a light distorting manipulation, to appear nearly invisible. Slipping through an open window, he observed. Only three people noticed him. One, was Kairi, who was always able to tell where he was, due to their connection. The second, was Sora, who was bound to Kairi, and through her, could vaguely sense his presence. When Kairi turned slightly, and saw Seth, he saw the black haired warrior as well. It was due to Kairi acknowledging that Seth existed in that particular space, that Sora too was able to confirm. Kairi, effectively Observed Seth being in that location, and by doing so, disabled any concept of invisibility to her senses, and the senses of anyone tied directly to her.

To everyone else, he was still invisible, unseen, unheard. But to her, and to Sora, who was tied to her, he was right there.

The third, was Ino.

She noticed him, because she _hurt_. It wasn't as bad as before. In fact it was nowhere near as bad as before. But it was still there.

At some point, upon recognizing her Betrayal, Seth's subconscious eternal gravitational field altered itself to repel _her_. It manifested itself as a crushing, pushing sensation, one that enveloped the entire body, felt within a certain radius. That it had diminished from a flesh-flaying, bone crushing, mind numbing pressure into a faint prickling, like pins and needles on her skin, gave her hope, though she was still very sad that her closest friend had begun _rejecting_ her existence.

Let alone after accepting her as she was.

She had spent the last two days musing that she was still alive, even though Seth had admit he had a tendency to…erasing…those who betrayed him. And if he didn't, his Apprentice did. But she no longer existed.

Still…her heart and mind - so frayed and abused by multiple sources, twisted and contorted by confusing emotions and the circumstances surrounding her original 'birth' – found it a _positive_ sign, that she was in pain. To her…that pain served as a reminder of the cost of betrayal. And that it diminished, served as a sign that maybe, one day, she could convince him to forgive her.

After all, she swore to herself, since she was lucky to still be alive – especially since it was _he_ who brought her back, at great expense to himself – she would _never_ betray him in any way again.

But all three had not brought attention to his presence. Each one of them considering it a stroke of luck, and circumstance, that he was detected by them. Clearly, since none of the others acknowledged his status among them, he was doing something that kept him from being noticed.

Still, after a few minutes of watching, minding Yuffie's facial expressions, getting a feel for her emotions, both normally, and through use of Miri's power, he decided how to act.

It would be the first time, in a long time, that he'd intentionally went about things as he was planning them. His primary method of mental recovery was to get close to someone, become trusted, and then start picking away at the issues. One by one, bit by bit, to understand them, their wants and needs, desires and hopes. Become a friend, _be_ a friend, then while being a friend, slip in the mock-therapy once in a while. See how it takes. And then proceed from there.

Honestly, he had no desire to help this girl. None at all. Which is why the approach he planned on taking was…apt. He had no desire towards her, in any form, though he'd admit she was physically attractive. But since he held no desire for synchronicity, the gentle, friendly approach wouldn't work.

Plus, he knew some of the things eating at her. She felt weak, useless. She felt like a failure. She wanted to be like Aerith, who he would _definitely_ admit was damn good looking as hell. She was everything Yuffie described, and more. A veritable Goddess walking in human skin. An actual _woman_ with hips and tits, unlike half of the girls he'd been encountering lately.

_Didn't find too many of those back in the day…Honestly, Alicia's the first girl who almost fit the bill. Even Belle looked too skinny for my tastes._

But he could understand why Yuffie felt inferior. Compared to Aerith, she was a child. Even though the other black haired woman, Tifa, had an _amazing_ rack, and was apparently quite talented with hand-to-hand combat, even Tifa didn't give off that…_womanly_ aura that Aerith did.

_That girl's a natural Mother. Body and aura._

But even so…Yuffie had things only Yuffie could do. But she wouldn't recognize them right now…she would have to see them for herself. And it didn't help that it was quite obvious that getting nearly perforated through the crotch by a sword had left some mental scars. Yes…the whole deal with his Heartless Form was weighing heavily on the girl's mind.

_Perhaps that's why I'm doing this. Not because of the payment…but because my senses scream a lack of Truth, when I behold her. And I know for a fact that my subconscious mind cannot stand a falsehood…oh well._

_Let's see if this girl is truly worth anything._

* * *

"Ahh! Seth! Seth, I have a question for you." Upon his arrival, he was waylaid by Alicia, whose sudden statement of query drew even Yuffie's temporary attention. It would appear that he'd decided to reveal himself, and made it seem like he was just slipping in through the door.

"Actually I've been wondering this for a while. What is a 'friendzone'?" She knew she could have asked anyone else, and gotten an answer. But she remembered something he told her, which was backed by Kairi repeatedly. He is a near-master of immaterial concept. If it's vague and confusing, he probably knows it well.

The dark haired warrior, no, the entire room's occupants stared at her. The blonde Princess pinked slightly, embarrassed at the attention. "Ahh, forget I-

"The Friendzone…" Seth began, cutting her off; "Is a term to denote a metaphorical state of emotional existence, perceived by one person in regards to another. At its base, it means that in regards to relationship, the speaker cannot progress beyond the stage of 'friendship' with the target of their affections. However, like many classifications as such, its true meaning has been blurred by humanity. Primarily wielded by sex-hungry males, the corrupted form of the term states that the target of their lust or warped romantic emotions refuses their advances or accepts but ultimately denies their attempt to move beyond a state of being 'friends.' Through this, the term gains negative connotations and is usually followed by mentions of the target being 'stuck-up' or 'a prude' in some way.

Though both the original and corrupted meanings can and is freely used by both sexes, its mostly seen use through males. Ultimately however, the term does not exist to classify the target's conceptual status in any way; that is to say it's not meant to judge a person's worth or even their personality. It is meant to convey one's personal relationship status with another in a brief manner. Originally it was meant as a tool to quickly update another on the status of one's relationship. The 'Friendzone' is a phantom state in which the speaker either perceives themselves to be unable to move beyond friendship, or has confirmed that the target of their affections does not return their feelings.

The term is meant as a classification tool and nothing more, as it should be understood that the concept of 'friendship' is a broad one whose depth and form can vary from person to person. Meaning such: what one person considers friendship could be what another considers a level above or below friendship. At its core, unfortunately, it's seen as a negative state considering it means that someone's affections are not returned, which is usually a moderately depressing situation. But ultimately it is a neutral term, since it's meant for classification purposes, rather than an indicator of worth. Most see it as a permanent state, though that is an incorrect assumption. The 'Friendzone' is not a physical state of existence. It is an emotional one, that may or may not ever change or evolve. With that said, once one has been confirmed to be 'locked in the friendzone' it is generally assumed that further attempts to re-classify the relationship will be met with repeated denials, and likely building ire.

I suppose one could call it a form of immaterial boundary field, considering its concept is to signal the blockage of a form of progress. But since it's not generally tangible in any physical or even mental way – though some people have such ties to their emotions that tangible reactions can occur, those are rare – it can't truly be classified as one. Progress out of the 'friendzone' is possible but usually it's best to just accept the state of things and begin shifting your emotions to a different target, though that will take time. Personally I believe that if you've confirmed to be in this metaphorical state, nothing should truly change between the two of you, only that one person's deeper emotions have been revealed. Only time will tell what comes of it, be it absolutely nothing, a tighter connection of friendship through acknowledgement of emotions, or perhaps even a chance at evolving the state. The results vary from entity to entity and cannot be considered concrete evidence of how to progress."

Alicia blinked rapidly. "I…wow. I wasn't expecting that. I guess intangible concepts really _are_ your expertise."

Seth shrugged. "Indeed."

But he didn't come for that. After answering her query, he deftly stepped around the girl, walking towards where the Restoration Committee usually gathered. Everyone's eyes were on him as he stopped in front of the self-proclaimed "Great Ninja."

"Yuffie…Kisaragi."

Brown met brown as the black haired girl looked up to the young man addressing her. She said nothing, though her stare gave him a sense of vaguely detached curiosity.

"I hear you were involved in the encounter with the strange, Heartless-like creature not long ago."

To hear him speak it so casually…her eyes narrowed, even as the cold hand of depression gripped her heart.

"…yes."

"I've also heard that you were disabled rather handily, and it was your capture that led not only to its escape, but the loss of a rather powerful artifact that your allies held."

Her eyes narrowed further, as the cold grip of depression was met with a small flame of rage. He was going on as if speaking of the weather! As if she didn't feel shitty _enough_ about it.

"What's your point." She bit out at him.

"I've also been informed that it spoke human tongue. Not only that, but _comprehensible_ human tongue. Did that not interest you at all?"

Now she was definitely frowning. The others were glaring at him – save for the Keybearers and Alicia. They were just confused – but Yuffie was getting irritated.

"I was a little busy fearing for my life to think about it too much." She snarked.

In his mind, Seth smirked. _So…her spirit isn't so much crushed as it is wounded. Easier to work with._

"And yet I hear you're the fastest sprinter of the Resistance. How could someone reputably so swift, be captured so easily?"

"It caught me by surprise." She growled.

"Oh? So you're saying that it was merely that it ambushed you, that led to your failure?"

There was _definitely _a glare on her face now.

"First, where do you get off-

"I wonder…what would you do if it showed up again?" He cut her off, an obvious, taunting air around him.

"I'd kick its ass that's what!" Was the response. Now she was pissed. All the negative emotions she'd been harboring were coming to the forefront.

Exactly as he wanted it.

"Indeed? Didn't you just say you were afraid? Are you sure you wouldn't simply _cower_ like a weak little child? After all, being the fastest sprinter can mean you can run away just as quickly."

"_Who the hell-_

"But I digress…you're telling me that, if by some freak chance, you were able to face it in a straight fight…you would relish the opportunity? Am I correct in believing you're saying you want a piece of it?"

What the hell was this guy on about? Hell _yeah_ she wanted a piece.

"Yeah. Yeah I want a piece of it."

For some reason Seth gave a wild grin. He stepped backward, before turning around and walking away, leaving everyone confused. As he reached roughly ten paces away from her, Seth stopped.

"A piece you will have."

Suddenly it all made sense in Kairi's head.

"No…" she whispered, heard by the other Keybearers, a look of shock and horror on her face.

Seth's shadow seemed to shift, drawing everyone's attention. Slowly, out of it, rose the small girl, Miri. Everyone who hadn't seen her before, or rather, didn't know of her origins or existence, and some who _did_, were shocked. Miri…used to be a _heartless_. When the hell did she become a girl? Let alone a girl who could _summon Darksides_. But then the next shocker, was when she pulled the string of her cloak, unraveling the bow and _tossed the whole thing aside._

Now, stood before them, a naked child.

One who gave _no _fucks.

_Ahh…going for the whole show huh? I suppose that's a good enough plan. Twisty twisty Miri…what a strange existence you are…_

_Still gotta find out how the hell that worked out._

Gently, almost _lustfully_, she reached out as she turned, sliding her hands, teasingly, down Seth's right arm, before grinning ferally.

_Time to play, Miri._

And then she promptly opened her mouth, and bit his arm.

Hard.

But of all things, the girl _moaned_…almost _erotically_, as instead of blood, strange black wisps ripped from where she was biting, before they wrapped around her body. Seen only to a few who were actually staring at his face – mostly horrified – strange black markings traced themselves along his cheeks, looking like tattoos.

And then the chains appeared, wrapping around his waist, before the Iris Buckle formed.

"NO!" Kairi yelled with horror. "No! This isn't-…you...you couldn't…"

But there was no sound. And that scared her even more.

Miri's body, surrounded by black wisps, dissolved into an inky black torrent that shot around Seth's whole body, before settling in his right hand. A murky black shard of what looked like pure darkness, the head of a shadow heartless sticking out of one end, sat in his palm. Kairi began tearing up, shaking her head rapidly. It wasn't some random monster. The belt alone confirmed her suspicions, ones she didn't want to truly entertain.

It was _him_.

"Kairi! What the hell is-

"Seth! Don't you dare…don't you _fucking __**dare!**_" She cut off Leon with her demands.

Which of course, were ignored.

"Henshin."

He pulled his right arm back, sliding the black shard into the slot on the buckle. The iris snapped open, flaring a demonic red, before the red bled away into pitch black. And a synthetic, toneless, yet almost _feminine_ voice echoed from the buckle.

_**Henshin**_

A wall of dark energy ripped from the belt, sweeping over his body in a single pulse. Then, slowly, glowing grey shards of energy, shaped like hexagons, expanded from the buckle, covering his legs and torso, slowly creeping up to his head, fading and emerging in a slow, almost as if it were a crashing wave, climbing the edges of a beach. The hexagons replaced his flesh and clothing with pitch black armor, leaving behind a _very_ familiar shape.

Yuffie…everyone stared.

It was the Human Heartless.

Seth was the Human Heartless.

Seth was the one who attacked Radiant Garden.

Seth was the one who taunted her. Tormented her with her own feelings of inferiority.

Kairi had covered her eyes with her hands, she was embarrassed, horrified, angry…

"_**What is the matter, Yuffie Kisaragi. We thought you were going to kick Our ass."**_

The way it seemed to speak as if _taunting_ her…

All the pain, all the anger, the sadness, the rage…the _hate_…

She focused it all on it. On _him_.

And without a word of warning, she attacked.

* * *

**A/N: **And here we go. The next chapter of this confusing, twisty story. Any who have read my stories can probably guess what will come soon enough. That's right, talky chapter is coming. Seth's got alot to explain, and explain he will...but first...Seth vs Yuffie! Place your bets! also, if you want a vague idea of what the synthetic voice from his belt sounds like, for this form, it sounds like Quorra from Tron Evolution, when she had the helmet/mask thing on. y'know, before she revealed she was a cute girl to Sam.

if you're wondering where the Katana came from, that will be explained later.

Now. Axel fans will probably not like what i did here. But there's two reasons for what i've done. the first, is to _cut out any possibility of him joining either group_. i've got enough bloody characters to write about. the second is a little simpler, but also more complex at the same time: **that isnt Axel**. the way i see it, Axel was the way he was because he had no heart, and no true understanding of emotions. He had echoes, shadows of emotion, but not the emotional core to really make them powerful. **Lea** on the other hand, is a true Person. With emotions. He remembers being Axel, he remembers Roxas, and due to whatever Seth did, he remembers Xion.

But he is _not_ Axel. As Ino said, Axel would have done something different, primarily because he wouldnt have thought of "funny", he'd have thought of practicality. Lea, being a full person, thought "dude needs to relax", and i imagine Lea as a bit of a prankster. No malicious intent, just not...entirely the smartest actions at the time. The way i imagine Lea saw it, was that he'd get Seth to react, laugh about it, and then try to get Seth to see the funny side of things.

Problem is, he's a full being, which means all emotions rise in his heart, including jealousy. He remebers Xion, and remembers being the only other person in the world that Xion really cared about. And he remembers playing Big Brother to both Xion and Roxas. So Seth, is an unknown, and seeing Xion acting around Seth the way she did Roxas, bothers him. So it's a test. if the guy can see humor, he's off the danger list. But since he only conspired with others who _didnt_ know Seth, he had no warning or fore-knowledge that Seth would react the way he did.

Lea, is a good person, generally. In my eyes a bit of a prankster, and not exactly the person who really thinks everything out. Fun-loving, loyal, but not a tactician. Axel was colder, more direct, more focused. Interested in having "fun" but not to the point that say, Demyx was. Shades of Axel still exist in Lea, but they are weak compared to the True Self. Lea made a mistake, a _big_ one, that will have **Consequences** for the rest of his life. And now he sees how it is, to deal with someone holding a _lot_ of power, who holds the heart of someone he cares for.

Even with the best intentions, any negative emotions, such as jealousy, can screw up one's plans. Lea intended something different than what he got, but his minor jealousy made him change ideas to the prank, rather than something like what Ino said Axel would do.

As well, Kairi isnt a fan of Axel, and neither is Namine, due to what Axel did during KHII. Riku is indifferent, Aqua doesnt know him, and Sora understands Axel's plight, even if he doesnt agree with how Axel went about things. So this is more the final nail in the coffin. Lea wont be coming along with the group, because of this, and his actions as Axel. And now Ino is aware of what he did while she was in limbo, and while she still cares for him, she knows that such a person would clash with their group...and thanks to his prank, Seth will never accept Lea's existence. And as she said, Seth is Ino's primary focus now.

It's a combination of building love, enamourment, loyalty, respect, understanding, and a bit of fear, that binds Ino to Seth. She owes him a fair bit, as well, she likes him as a person. Still, she is rightfully a bit afraid of him and his power. she got a taste of what it means to be classified as a borderline enemy in this chapter. and she never wants to feel that again. Keep that in mind for later events...


	9. Darkness

A near literal wall of pointy spinning objects raced for Human Shadow's body. The very space between it, and Yuffie being covered in a reflective torrent of multiple shuriken, the air shrieking with the sound of hundreds of high pitched whistles. A literal sea of metal and sound.

And it was all deflected by a single blast of pressure.

The momentum of all the many throwing stars (some in shapes of four points, others in six, and even some in eight) halted suddenly, before being blasted backward. The teen ninja, and many of her allies, had to drop to the ground as the force of the deflection had embedded the shuriken into the ground, ceiling and far wall. For a moment, the Restoration Committee was in shock. Not so much at the deflection but the _power_ behind it.

Not cowed in the slightest, Yuffie simply tensed up, and ran forward, arms and legs blurring to the eyes of many. It wasn't a lie, she had _earned_ her title as Fastest Sprinter. And she intended to show this _bastard_ just why it was that she did. As she got within range, she tensed a fist, and lashed forward.

Only he'd caught it.

Barely. Though she didn't know that.

_Ok…she's faster than me in this form…if only just. Makes sense. The speed boost is negligible compared to the strength and defense boosts. Enough to almost match her…which means I have to stay focused. The first few minutes are basically going to end up a warm-up. If she regains her cool, then things are gonna get a whole lot tougher…_

For a moment, she stared at him in shock. _How did-…no…no it doesn't matter. I'll beat this stupid thing into the ground!_ The surprise turned into a glare. He released her fist, only to duck as she swung her left leg up to his head. He retaliated with a punch to her side, which connected due to her not expecting him to be as fast as she was. Or what she _thought_ was as fast as she was.

_Half-second too slow. I can keep up, but barely._

_What an interesting situation._

* * *

"Dammit Seth…what the _hell_ are you doing…?!" Kairi whispered to herself. She was mortified. _He_ was the one who attacked Radiant Garden. _He _was the one who basically had a group of Shadow Heartless molest Yuffie. And she'd asked _him_ for help? And now he was _fighting_ Yuffie!

"Kai." The voice of Naminé entered her ears. Kairi turned to the side, seeing the Keybearer group plus allies, approaching. "You asked him for help didn't you?" Naminé questioned.

Kairi looked away, but nodded.

And then she lurched forward as Naminé had slapped her in the back of the head.

"Ow! What the fuck-

"You asked him for help, when he was in a _bad mood_ and you **didn't specify **_**how?!**_"

Kairi's anger vanished as the words sunk in. She of all people should have known how Seth worked. He wasn't in the best of moods, and he'd even tried to reject her request, but she insisted. And then she forgot the key.

When Seth is in a bad mood, and you have a request of him, you'd damn well _better_ specify how you want that request fulfilled. _Especially _if he tells you he's got no interest in helping with that particular thing. Otherwise…

"…I thought he'd do what he did for us…for Alicia…but…"

"You didn't specify your request." Naminé finished for her Other.

Kairi nodded slowly, turning back to the fight between Seth and Yuffie.

"Wh-what does that mean?" Lea hesitantly asked.

"It means…" Ino began, catching the others' attention. "That Seth has free reign to do whatever he feels like, as long as the end result is Yuffie being knocked out of her funk." The black haired Kairi-not-clone was watching the fight intently, never taking her eyes off of Seth.

"Well that's not too bad…" Lea relented.

"Including _killing_ her."

Silence. They all stared at her.

"But…but that would-

"Not break the terms of the agreement." Ino cut Aqua off. "Seth is a very _open_ being. He works in the realm of the Immaterial more than he works in the Material. You give him a request, and if you do not _frame_ that request, he will fulfill it, but it may not take the form you wanted, or anticipated. If he likes you, or is in a generally helpful mood, he'll try to mitigate the fallout from his actions, tailoring them to fit the conditions of the request, while not involving much else if it can be avoided. If he _doesn't_ like you, or is in a particularly bad mood, he won't care, and will ultimately fill your request, but _as he sees fit._"

"Why would he kill Yuffie though…?" Sora asked, scared for his friend, and a little angry at the wandering warrior.

"Why _not_?" was Ino's retort.

"That makes no sense." Riku said pointedly.

"Doesn't it?" Ino countered. "Would Yuffie still be depressed if she wasn't alive to _feel_ it?"

Silence again.

"Exactly. I don't think that's Seth's plan, honestly. Personally I think he's fighting her both to work her feelings out, as well as his own. But I know he won't be holding back. And if she's not careful, or as skilled as she thinks she is…it's highly possible for her to die here."

"But…she's not slowing down." Sora said.

"Are you sure?" Ino countered.

"Yeah…yeah I've fought her before, in a couple tournaments at Olympus Colosseum. She's always been this fast. Actually she might have gotten even faster than back then."

"Hmm."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Ienzo queried, marking a page in his book so he could pay attention both to the answer, and the fight.

"Seth's battle style involves slowing the opponent's movements by way of a small gravitational field in a three or so meter radius around him." Kairi said. "It works by varying the weight of the opponent constantly, both by fluctuating the pull of the field, as well as dancing in and out of range. It's _extremely_ deadly, because you're constantly switching between working harder to move, as well as suddenly feeling lighter."

"The confusion created by the variance field causes the opponent to become disoriented, which leaves openings in their stance. They can't defend as well, their attacks are sluggish and harder to pull out, their agility is reduced or raised to cause them to miss their swings. And it's constantly shifting, both because of him moving out of range, as well as the field itself. Due to that, you can't adjust to what's going on, even if you know what to expect." Naminé continued.

Kairi nodded. "If he's not using that field, then…I don't know. Maybe he can't in that form…or doesn't know how to. It _is_ a new form…he's never used it before…"

"Except with that Valeth guy." Naminé corrected.

"Yes but he switched states to a much thinner form immediately. So we don't know what he can do in _this_ state." Kairi countered.

"Maybe he just doesn't _want_ to." Ino spoke, _still_ looking only at the fight. "You've linked with him, both of you, so you know him instinctively a little better…but…I don't believe he'd do something that took away his ability to fight in his personal manner. Not for something like this. Not even on a request. Not unless he had something equivalent to it, that can pick up the slack at a moment's notice. So it's likely he's simply choosing not to use that field. The fight would be over too quickly."

"And what would Yuffie gain from it…except more frustration?" Kairi asked slowly.

Naminé's eyes widened. "By fighting her…at full strength…he works his own anger out. By _not_ reducing hers, he lets her work hers out as well…"

"She was depressed. Depressed because she felt like a failure, a traitor. By that logic, Seth intends to _make_ her see for herself how powerful she truly is…" Kairi continued.

"But at the same time, he'll likely show the difference in their strengths." Ino concluded. "She won't win. She'll get close, but he'll rip it from her. He's mad enough to do something like that. And once he does, he'll throw it in her face. Not to prove she's weak, but to prove he's too strong. He'll…push her. To become more. More than she is. To force her to _evolve_ past her self-perceived limitations and boundaries."

Kairi and Naminé looked at Ino sharply.

"How…do you know…he'd do that?" Naminé asked slowly. Kairi nodded next to her. "That's _exactly_ what he'd do! And we only figured it out because that's information we yanked from him!"

Ino never looked away from the fight.

"Because that's what he's doing to _me._"

**Kingdom Hearts RE: Order**

**Chapter VIII: **_**Darkness**_

The fight was in his favor, until Yuffie started doing something different. For some reason, he would block or evade a swing – be it of fist or foot – and yet suddenly he's hit _anyway_. It was a little jarring, though her strikes were _just_ too weak to truly penetrate his defenses. Even so, it was known that over time, repeated strikes, no matter how weak, would begin to wear away at a target. And considering Seth was primarily on the defense, Yuffie had only as long as she could keep her stamina up.

Which was a major issue, since Seth knew there were both magics and medicines that can restore one's stamina artificially, or cause it to hyper-activate, restoring itself naturally, only at a much increased pace. He didn't know if she knew them or not, but he wasn't taking his chances.

Actually, that was inaccurate. Truthfully, if he were to have the time to truly look into himself, he'd start to realize that he _knows_ things. Things about the worlds around him, the ones he's traveled to. Things about the people. Things he _shouldn't_ know. He knows these things instinctively – meaning he doesn't consciously know them offhand, merely that the information appears when the subject is breeched or focused on, and then vanishes just as suddenly – as if he'd known them for quite a long time. None of this was knowledge from Kairi, nor did it seem to be knowledge from Ino or even Naminé. Ever since Miri ate that heart, and gained a human form, bits and pieces of knowledge that seemed like they were just buried under ages of gunk, started surfacing.

It was this knowledge that was beginning to feed into his mind now, as he blocked a side kick, only to lurch back from the same foot suddenly making a forward thrust.

_Sudden lurches. I block but she still hits me in that general area. It must be a Materia. But…I see…double…attack. Yes. Double Attack Materia. A Materia that allows the wielder to attack consecutively, with no wait-time between strikes. It works…by…by nixing the recovery time. It's…almost like a loop. Only…the implement of attack must be capable of performing an action again immediately. So it only works for close range strikes. So why is it centered only in one area…?_

He ducked low, evading a fan kick, barely blocking the split-second follow-up heel drop.

_I get it. It negates momentum and re-applies it to another direction. But it can only be launched from that position. A downward swing can be turned upward, but it can't be turned into another downward swing. The Materia reduces lag-time to nothing, but in exchange, only slight movements can be made. Which means depending on her attack, determines what secondary attacks she can do in that exact same timeframe. She can't punch once and then again with both hands. She could punch forward, but then would have to bring the arm in one of the cardinal directions for a second attack if she were to engage the Materia. Which is why she only seems to be doing the Double Attack with her legs, because they have more range of movement._

His theory was proven at least slightly correct, when he dodged an overhead axe kick by shifting his body to the side, creating a narrow passage for Yuffie's leg to slid past. As he expected, Yuffie's leg, the second her foot touched the ground, was moving towards his feet, trying to lash at his ankles. He stepped back twice, the girl missing her second attack, and his thoughts being confirmed.

_That explains why she doesn't thrust. A thrust can be evaded __**and**__ caught easier than a sweep. She's thrusting as a secondary, should I block or dodge. Smart girl. But now…I can do…__**this!**_

She kicked high with her left leg, leaning back on her right, left knee bent to strike rapidly. Her intention was to engage the Double Attack and cause him to block with his left arm, which would leave him open for a thrust kick. As she expected, he blocked. The Materia engaged, and her mentally prepared strike went through.

Only for him to _catch _her foot.

With his _left _hand.

For a split second, she was in shock. But she realized, she'd been getting too confident. It was expected he'd start to see a pattern. Using his hand as a foothold, she pushed off the ground with her right leg, twisting her left foot out of his grip, while lashing forward with her right, kicking off his torso and rolling away from him before propping to her feet. She dashed forward, swinging her right arm out in a wild haymaker, which he dodged by stepping back. She pushed forward again, using the momentum from her first swing to spin herself around and try to backhand him, which he dodged once again.

But she'd expected that.

Continuing her revolutions, she dropped low for a sweep, and engaged the Double Attack. He hopped over the sweep like she expected, and she suddenly thrust forward with the same leg.

And then pain.

* * *

The Restoration Committee was moderately shocked. They'd seen Yuffie in a fight, they'd seen her fight seriously. But never before had they seen her so _vicious_. All of them, who valued her skills, both in running and in combat, were forced to re-evaluate the girl in front of them. Her closest friends, Aerith and Tifa, _never_ thought the girl hid such skill from them.

Tifa was a combat martial-artist. She knew at least ten different hand-to-hand forms, each one coming with no less than five individual stances. She was also a master of wielding elemental Materia in close-range combat, able to enhance her strikes with sparks of electricity to hamper her foes by way of scrambling their nervous systems, fire to both weaken armor and induce panic, ice for piercing, wind for extra thrust damage and force…and so on.

Aerith was a caster, pure and simple. While she preferred the supportive Materia, such as the Life Materia that she now understood that Sora's ally Seth had stolen from them, she was no slouch when it came to distance magic. She wasn't the type of combative that Tifa was, though her skills with a staff were nothing to laugh at. She was the "nuke from afar" type, as some of the younger kids were calling it. She was accustomed to the types of close combat Materia that her friends like Cloud and Cid, and even Tifa employed.

Like Tifa, she knew of the Double Attack, and though Yuffie had taken it upon herself ages ago to keep the Materia 'fresh' – that is to say, Yuffie willingly takes the lowest level Materia and uses it continuously to make it stronger, and repeats the process ad-infinitum – and was using the lowest tier of Double Attack – which did exactly what the name said – she'd never seen it employed so masterfully. Originally, the first stage of the Double Attack only allows for a quick reversal of momentum into a secondary strike that usually capitalizes on one's focus on blocking, evading or tanking the first. It's very simple, very basic and only _slightly_ faster than one's normal swinging or striking speed.

Higher tiers, such as the Master Double Attack – which allows the user to attack four times consecutively during the space of the same second – uses a slight temporal manipulatory variance field which accesses possibility. In essence, it takes the discarded attack vectors – the locations one chose _not_ to attack in – and applies them anyway. To the target, it seems like the attacker is moving at almost light-speed to strike four times in a row, all seemingly at almost the exact same time. In reality, the Materia takes the concept of the first attack, and re-applies it to three other discarded attack ideas. Say if one were to wield a sword, and strike vertically down with an overhead chop. But they had a thought to strike with a horizontal slash, and two diagonal slices from opposing sides. The Materia would cause the wielder to basically become a near blur, delivering the diagonal slashes with the horizontal, before the user performed their original overhead swing.

The appearance was that of a faint, faded after-image of each swing, until the final attack which would retain its solid state, for it was the true attack. Even those who had studied the Materia for decades could not truly discern how the Double Attack worked. All of what they'd known about it was through use, having it used _on _them, and speculation.

For all they knew, the Double Attack was summoning phantom images of themselves from alternate timelines where they did something different.

Regardless, Yuffie was doing more with the lowest Tier of Double Attack than anyone had expected.

Thus, it was with shock and no minor winces, that they watched Yuffie suddenly get _battered_.

Seth had not only anticipated her maneuver, but also her _follow up_. While in mid-air from his small hop, he _caught_ Yuffie's thrust foot, pulled her off the ground to him, and as he landed, smashed her back against his knee which popped her up into the air slightly, before smacking her foot up and then delivering a heavy spin-kick to her back, launching her away from him.

They watched her land painfully, groan, but then get up. Slowly she rose, gently rubbing her back where he'd kicked her, silently sending healing power to it. They watched her race back in…

But to no avail. Now Seth was apparently actively reading her. Every strike would be blocked, every Double Attack would be blocked and either dodged or countered. She couldn't hit him anymore, at least, not directly. He knocked aside a punch and caught the reverse chop caused by the Double Attack, and punched her swiftly in the chest, blowing her backward again. Yuffie coughed heavily, the air knocked out of her…but the fight not gone from her eyes yet.

She rose, before trotting at him again, only _this _time…her whole _body_ blurred.

And Seth found himself unable to defend.

* * *

_Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Fuck. Ow. Dammit. Ow. FUCK. Ok that's it. OW! Fuck!_

Yuffie's movements had become too fast now. He could barely keep up originally as it was, now he couldn't at all. That was the downside to the Armored Shadow. It was slower than he was naturally used to, but physically stronger. It didn't have as much by way of movement, but could sure bring the hurt. But now she was even faster than before.

Somewhere, in the back of his mind, a part of him was _disgusted_ that it took her so long to overtake his speed. That part of his mind believed that she was _pathetically weak_ if his slower state could match her. For the moment, however, that part was silent, biding its time.

_Must be Haste._

For every punch he blocked, three more would suddenly hit him. And they were from different appendages each time. Every kick he deflected, four would strike. She was now using his favorite tactic: Mobility. And it was working to great effect. He could tank the hits, but she was striking so fast, and so rapidly, that even his higher defenses were getting worn down. And it was starting to irritate him.

A lot.

_Fine…she wants to play the Speed game? Time for us to show her what __**real**__ speed is._

Somewhere in his heart, closest to his chest, he _felt_ a nod of approval.

It was primarily him in control of this fused form, which is what made it different than his Crow Form. While the transformation was triggered by the belt, along with any enhancements, it was more that the belt acted as a buffer. In actuality, he and Miri had practically fused into one being. The belt was a gauge and controller for her immense power over darkness, converting it into a form he could better manipulate. While she was now in a more human state, she still only had the instincts of the Heartless to fall back on, during battle.

So through this unison, she could learn how to fight like a human. As well, it brought her closer to his heart, something she so desperately cherished.

And yet she was only slowly starting to get an inkling _why_.

* * *

**WHAM**

A solid hit threw Seth backward. He went with the motion and threw his weight into it, forcing himself into a hand-spring, only to skid on the ground when he touched down with his feet. Inside, Yuffie was almost giddy with glee. She was doing it! She was beating him!

And then he did something that she would _forever_ remember as the worst moment of her life.

Slowly he stood, before flicking the odd, shadow-headed crystal on his belt. A current of blood red electricity coursed along his entire body, followed by an odd whirring noise. Everyone watched, blinking in surprise as sections of his arms and legs seemed to suddenly bulk out, streams of orange-yellow glow emerging, as if something were releasing an immense pressure. Almost as if it was _venting_.

And then to their confusion, he grasped the shadow-head, another current of blood red lightning arcing between the device and his fingers.

"_**Cast Off."**_

His left hand slid the protrusion from its position on the right side of his belt, to the left, the iris flaring open, glowing a bloody red as that strange metallic female voice from before, spoke once again.

_**Cast…Off**_

There was no warning, when suddenly the expanded sections of his body _exploded_ outward in a wave of force, one that kicked up a heavy wind around him. Yuffie covered her head with her arms, feeling _heavy_ shards of something fly past, the air rippling in their wake. She blinked away the tears caused by flying dust, before staring in mild surprise at the form before her.

Slowly, two long, slender protrusions unfurled from his back, like wings tipped with scythes.

_**Change…Shadow**_

* * *

"Oh…oh hell…" Kairi muttered.

"The _hell_ is that?!" Lea exclaimed.

"Still Seth. Just a different state." Ino responded.

"I…really hope Yuffie gives up soon…" Naminé uttered, worried.

Isa turned to the girl, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "And why is this?"

Sora clenched his fists, both in worry, and in slowly building anger. "…because we watched him _tear apart_ someone, when he last did this…"

"If you think losing some weight is gonna be enough to beat me then you've got another thing coming!"

They turned back to the fight, at Yuffie's exclamation.

* * *

The Restoration Committee stared in abject shock.

Yuffie's hard to see first strike.

Was _blocked_.

As was **every consecutive strike after.**

And worse, the…_Shadow_ seemed to barely even move.

He wasn't tanking the hits. He was _stopping_ them. **Effortlessly**. As if he didn't have a care in the world. They watched Yuffie's face go from shock, to frustration as every punch, every kick, every thrust she made was blocked, parried, but not reposted. It was as if he was waiting her out. He blocked a literal flurry of side-kicks with merely one arm, said arm blurring just as deeply as her leg was. When she turned, he turned. When she moved, he moved.

It was like watching a deadly dance of destruction. Straight thrusts would be knocked away, overhead kicks would be guided downward. Spinning twists would be spun with. And he wasn't countering. Until he _did_.

And once again Yuffie went flying.

Her foot was blocked, leg twirled around his arm, and he delivered a solid palm thrust right between her legs.

Unknown to them, but _felt_ by Yuffie, it was accompanied by a concentrated blast of pressure. Unknown to them, but felt by Yuffie, the extra pressure _fractured_ her pelvic bone. _Seen_ by them, and definitely **felt** by Yuffie, a single, purple Materia orb shot from her left hip, upon contact. When she landed, a _massive_ jolt of pain ripped through her mind as she tried to stand.

The Restoration Committee was horrified. Not only did he outclass her in speed now, but she'd just lost one of the support Materia she kept activated. They watched her swipe a green glowing hand across her pelvis, ignoring the slight flushed cheeks of Sora and Roxas as she did so. The fracture wasn't completely healed – she didn't have enough time for that – but the pain would be reduced, and the Regen spell she cast would try to repair the damage as time went. Movement _shouldn't_ worsen her condition…in theory.

She just had to not get hit there anymore. She tested her leg, twisting herself a little, making sure she didn't get caught off guard by a twinge of pain or anything. When all seemed good, she glared at Seth's Shadow Form, and blurred forward again.

"_**Clock Up."**_

She swung…

_**Clock Up**_

And blinked as he had _vanished_.

And then, _agony_.

* * *

_**Clock Over**_

The Restoration Committee gasped as one, witnessing Yuffie's body suddenly lurch around like a rag-doll before going flying backward, crashing hard into the ground. Seth's form seemed to phase back into existence just as her back slammed into the stone floor. The girl coughed heavily, before rolling over slightly. She intended to spit out the blood that had come into her mouth, do a fast full-body heal, ignore the pain and get right back up.

Pity Seth didn't get that memo.

**WHAM**

A black encased, animal-like foot suddenly slammed into her side as she was crawling to her feet. She got _one_ wish, as the blood went flying out of her mouth, but with it came all sources of air. Eyes widened as Seth grasped the rising girl's arm before yanking her close and _backhanding_ her with a loud _**CRACK**_. Blood and spit flew from between her lips as her face rippled with pain, but in the time it took for her mind to register the agony of what felt like being slapped with a brick wall, he'd already slammed a fist right to her nose, locked his left leg around her right and tripped her back and into the air, before kicking her away with a heavy punt to the stomach.

And yet not a moment after she started rising, he seemingly blurred in front of her, ducking low and rising up to thrust his upward-angled elbow into her cheek, before grabbing her by the back of the head and smashing her face into the ground.

Three times.

The third smash, where everyone heard a sickening **CRUNCH** as her nose was practically turned to pulp, and her jaw was broken, slammed her into the ground hard enough to bounce her up into the air slightly, where the Shadow Form of Seth flickered to her side and threw his weight backward into what looked like a hand-spring, only he'd split his legs vertically so he kicked her higher with his lagging left foot, before landing and slapping the device on his waist again.

_**Clock Up**_

* * *

She wouldn't be able to explain it.

She didn't understand it herself.

But whenever he used that…Clock Up…

She could _see_.

She knew she'd never be able to match that speed. She would be just as useless as everyone else.

But she could _see_ it.

For some reason, she could _see_ his movements.

And they were _glorious_.

_Rising knee with left leg. Backhand swing with right wrist. Hook swing with left fist. Jab with right, elbow thrust, cross hook with left. Right-hand palm thrust to chest. Pulse. Probably an after effect of crushing force. Left foot to right temple kick. Thrust kick with right leg to stomach, secondary to chest, stomach, chest, nose, foot slam on ground for momentum powered left jump kick to right side. Pulse again. Rising leftward claw to right arm. Wall-jump-knee to face, overhead double-hand slam to crown. Sword._

…_sword? Sword. Dash behind, upward diagonal swing. Thrust, overhead slash, left-foot pivot, rightward horizontal swing to lower spine. Twirl of sword in right hand in clockwise movement – momentum building maneuver – vertical chop to left arm. Overweighted…full-body secondary swing just next to spinal column. Back blades extended. Right heel pivot, blades at same height as one another, slightly bent. Spin. First revolution. Second, third, fourth, kick._

* * *

_**Clock Over**_

A gurgled scream came from Yuffie's throat as suddenly her body seemed pummeled. Not only that, but blood flew from multiple points of her flesh, splattering on the stone columns and floor before her back seemed to arch and she went flying into a far wall. Once again Seth seemed to phase back into view, only this time he was holding a gleaming katana blade. Not moments after she hit the wall and bounced off from the force, Seth was upon her again. Blade in hand, it seemed to give a sickening violet-red glow as he swung diagonally up, from right hip. The moment his swing concluded, everyone bugged out as a second, giant blood-red phantom blade slashed the girl again, only from left hip to right shoulder.

He reversed the blade, rotated it clockwise and swung down, from right shoulder, and the phantom blade appeared again, slashing down from left shoulder. He thrust forward, the phantom blade appeared overhead, and thrust forward. A vertical double-handed chop from a full-body revolution in a counter-clockwise motion, the phantom blade did the same, only in reverse motion. Yuffie's body jerked violently with every swing, clothes being sliced away, blood flying from her skin, before Seth seemed to blur behind her, planting feet against the wall, and slamming into her back with his shoulder, launching her away. He tumbled forward, as if it was meant to be – which it was – and then reached out in a grasping motion.

The light dimmed around the girl as her momentum was suddenly halted, before wisps of dark energy lashed about her form, before coalescing into a semi-transparent dark violet orb of energy that crunched her body together slightly, as it held her in place.

Something shot through the minds of Kairi and Naminé, and unknown to them, Ino as well.

_Phaselock_.

Seth's hand went to the buckle, where he tapped the shadow-head thrice.

_**One Two Three**_

Grasping it, he rotated it up and to the right. An electronic whirring sound seemed to rev up from the device, iris flaring an angry red.

"_**Rider…Crossing."**_

He quickly rotated it back left.

_**RIDER CROSSING**_

Violet, red and black sparks ripped from the iris, seeming to be contained within the buckle before they rose along his torso, to his right arm and into his blade. He rose the blade's hilt, so the tip of the sword was facing the ground. Unexpectedly, he let go, before crossing both hands along the hilt in opposing directions. As he did so, the blade seemed to…_split_. Where once there was one, now were two. Two identical blades, though the one in his left hand seemed to be darker in color as a whole, than the original. He grasped both hilts tightly before raising them, blades crossed. A fast pull and a double overhead diagonally downward swing with both in tandem, releasing a red and violet X shaped blast of energy at the orb.

The blast crashed into the orb, the new energy interacting badly with the existing force, causing the cage to become unstable before it burst, exploding outwards with immense force. The force of the energy explosion caused many to shield their faces as their bodies were buffeted by the winds. Those who didn't, stared as Yuffie's form seemed to shudder as _every_ Materia that was currently sitting in her body was sent flying from her, before she rocket backwards one final time, landing not far from the Restoration Committee.

"YUFFIE!"

They all raced to her side, as the phantom blade in Seth's left hand faded away, before he grasped the shadow head. His body seemed to sag as he flicked it back to the right, before removing it entirely. Already, even as she dropped loudly to her knees next to the unmoving girl, Aerith's hands were glowing a soft green. She pushed the healing force from her palms, the energies washing over Yuffie, seeping into her many wounds. Her clothes were shredded, only the barest hints of a brassiere and her jacket remaining on her top, her shorts generally unmarked. A large, deep bleeding X shaped cut stretched across her torso.

Tifa had violently unzipped her jacket before literally _ripping _her too-small white undershirt off, the loud tearing of cloth being unnoticed due to the clamor of the others backing up while the two women worked. She used it, mind unheeding of the fact that with her jacket open, and shirt ripped, her magnificent breasts were freed from constraints. All she was focusing on was Yuffie, and cleaning off the blood so Aerith could better get at the gashes in her chest.

But it was pointless.

The healing energy wouldn't stick, the blood stopped flowing but that was due to Yuffie's heart having stopped. Nothing Aerith tried worked. She even fired off her strongest healing spell, which came from deep within her soul, and it did _nothing_.

"She's...she's not responding…it won't stick…_it won't stick_."

Even Tifa grasped her own Cure Materia, and tried to help. But nothing.

"No…_no…_"

"She's…she's dead…"

* * *

"…she's dead…"

Kairi had tears in her eyes, hands to her mouth in horror. Naminé squeezed her eyes shut, turning away from the sight. Aqua felt a pit open up in her stomach, her left hand coming to her mouth of its own accord. Isa frowned heavily, Lea gave a deep sigh, Ienzo blinked, shaking his head sadly. Riku grasped Sora's shoulder, as the brunette shook with sadness and rage. Roxas held the boy's other shoulder, his own frown deepening. Alicia bowed her head, closing her eyes and saying a soft prayer. If it was Midgard…she would have drawn out Yuffie's soul and brought her to Valhalla herself…Odin be damned.

Ino…

Ino _never stopped looking at Seth_.

_Why is he clutching his sword like that…?_

It wasn't that she didn't care. She did. She'd probably even cry about it later, having never truly _witnessed_ death. But for now, her focus was Seth. She didn't have the connection to him that Kairi did. She had her own connection, not of heart to heart or even mind to mind. But through understanding. They _talked_. And from their talks, from his own actions, she learned a lot about him.

He let go. He _had_ to. So much had happened to him over the past two months. So many emotions, so many discoveries. He never really had time to _think_ to assess it all. To _recover_. He'd been through his own ordeal, before being violently woken by Xemnas. To him, no time at all had passed since he lost the last person he loved, before his world was ended. He had thrown himself into a myriad of tasks, keeping himself busy, or rather was _kept _busy. And then Lea pulled that stunt, and almost died for it.

And she'd forced him to lock his emotions up again, she'd taken away his chance, his _right_ to let everything loose. And while killing Lea would have been a…very bad way to let them loose, it would have been a much needed release. But instead, he was asked to help someone he knew nothing about, and cared even less for. And yet, it was a chance. A chance for him to push everything out.

Unfortunately, Yuffie wasn't strong enough to stand up to the raging force that was Seth.

And even so…she could tell…he was _still_ not finished.

But there was a blankness to his eyes, a stiffness to his stance, that suggested something was…_off_.

_Seriously why is he clutching his sword like that?_

* * *

"…she's dead…"

_Yes…yes she is. And I killed her. And I don't…feel anything for it. She stood in my way before…she was an obstacle to my goals before. And now, she was a tool. A tool for me to vent my emotions on. And if she'd survived, all the better. But she didn't. …disgusting. She was __**weak**__! How could one call oneself a ninja and be so horribly __**weak**__?! A disgrace! An insult to Shinobi everywhere! Where were the Clones? Where were her blades? Why did she focus on hand-to-hand? Where was the poison? The paralysis? She knew __**nothing**__ of being ninja and yet she called herself one! Pathetic!_

He closed his eyes, and shook his head. The gentle touch of Miri drew him from his musings. She sensed his anger, his irritation…his depression.

And then…something _changed_.

The sword in his hand gave a soft pulse. He felt the energies within it begin to invade his mind. He was treated to images.

**A girl.**

**No.**

**Yuffie.**

**Standing before something. Something big. Indescribable.**

**In her hands was a blade. Another katana. Combined blade with hilt, half her size. The blade was at least two feet in length. Perhaps three. An eight pointed star-shaped hilt, grey, darker than the blade itself. Ocean blue cloth wrapped together for the hilt. It seemed to glow with faint blue-white wisps.**

**An image behind her. An armored woman. Transparent. Wispy, like made of blue fire. It held a similar blade in its left hand.**

**Snow, falling around it. Her. **_**Them**_**.**

**Her face. Unblemished. Unmarked. Cold. Determined.**

**Beautiful.**

**Her eyes. Deep chocolate. Mirroring his own.**

_**They turned to ice.**_

His vision snapped back to normal. The blade was still 'humming' in hand. He was…shocked. He _knew_ what that meant. He'd seen it **once** before. During the war. During _their_ travels. After he'd gotten the blade he now held.

_There's…another? _The blade pulsed. Yes. _And Yuffie…is meant to be its wielder…_ another pulse. Yes. _So the Swords still exist…hidden throughout the worlds…and one is…here. Your sister…__**Yukianesa**__. Didn't…didn't Midori-sensei say that…wait…__**Kisaragi!**__ Her last name is __**Kisaragi!**__ No __**wonder**__ it sounded so familiar! Midori-sensei said the Kisaragi family had a hereditary blade that was like the Kitetsu! Yuffie is a __**Kisaragi!**_

Seth's eyes widened.

Back during his time, his world, there existed multiple blades. After the advent that caused the rise of the Keyblade, blacksmiths from multiple parts of the world reemerged in making bladed weapons. While projectile weapons such as guns and the like were still widely used, due to the rise in magic and Keyblade wielders, they were proving ineffective. A gunshot wound could be healed in seconds, due to the magic of the Keyblade, or simply blocked by a wall of force. The world started returning to the days when swords prevailed, due to only high explosives being truly strong enough to fell a Keyblade wielder.

And even then, it wasn't a surefire bet, if the wielder was versed in the element of flame.

As magic became commonplace, certain swords were either forged, or were enhanced with magic. And some, merely had their once lost power restored. Blades such as his, the Kitetsu, were forged to be a match for the Keyblade. While they were not anywhere near as versatile as a Keyblade, seeing as they lacked many of the functions that the magical weapon of the heart held, they were obscenely powerful in their own right.

Many blades of legends were either enhanced, restored or fully re-created. Blades such as the Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi – the Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven – capable of manipulating air pressure and partially controlling winds and clouds; the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi – the Grass Cutting Blade – known for its ability to split the winds, as well as its full control over the air element, capable of generating razor sharp winds that could cut down even what the blade did not touch; the Holy Sword Balmung; Excalibur, the Sword of Kings; and so on.

Along his travels with his three companions, trying to find a place of peace in the chaotic world that emerged after the Keyblade became commonplace, and people began fighting one another over the right to wield one, or simply because they could; they encountered a woman. A woman who was _ninja_. She was simply called Midori. And she wielded the very blade Seth now held. A pair of tears rushed down his face as he recalled _how_ he gained the blade, before banishing the memory.

The blades, being born of desperation and will, all had a vague sentience to them. They _chose_ their wielders, in a sense. Though his was…a bit different. But Midori had taught him a lot about the blades, and their origins. And she taught him that there were certain families that existed, that passed down vaguely magical blades from generation to generation. One such, was the _Kisaragi_ family, which passed down a blade known as _Yukianesa_.

Reports had stated the Yukianesa was capable of manipulating moisture in the air, usually to form Ice, though some of the more well-versed wielders were capable of making feats very similar to the Kusanagi. But the Yukianesa was a _powerful_ blade, and like the rest of the Swords of Legend, he thought it lost with the destruction of his world.

Well, apparently he was wrong. The sword still exists, somewhere in Radiant Garden, and it had called to _his_. He felt a tad guilty. Ever since he'd gained his Keyblade, he'd only mused about his previous weapon. Again, the Swords of Legend were barely matches for the Keyblade. They were primarily physical, even those capable of bending elements could only truly do so on a physical scale. His was a bit different, but even the concept his worked on was primarily physical. The Keyblade however, merged physical with immaterial.

Midori had even admitted jealousy over the Keyblade wielders in his group, being the three other than himself. The Keyblade, she had explained, was the _perfect_ assassin's weapon. Capable of un-doing any lock, even conceptual ones; people slain by a Keyblade didn't leave a corpse for very long, the body fragmenting into pearls of light after death, sometimes long after the heart stopped beating, other times, while they were still breathing; ejected hearts were impossible to replace after a time, especially since the body fragmented…the means of death would be untraceable unless someone was there to witness it.

And considering that each Keyblade was perfectly attuned to its wielder, growing and changing as its wielder did, it was never too heavy or too light. It was beyond flexible, never had to be sharpened, never had to be re-tempered. It had its downsides, but the pros horribly outweighed the cons. On top of which, it was almost impossible to tell who was a Keyblade wielder and who wasn't, and even those who wielded the Keyblade were not prohibited from using other weapons or combat styles!

But the Yukianesa would be _good_ for Yuffie. On top of which, it was her birthright. And he was the only one who knew about it. He swore an oath to Midori's soul, that if he ever encountered someone worthy of wielding one of the Swords of Legend, and he had a way to help them attain it, he would. Midori wanted to gather a group that wielded such blades, and make a home for all of them. For safety…for the _future_.

But her dream never got to fruition. He agreed that it would be nice to have a place that was well-defended, a place to return to. A place to settle down…

So upon the Kitetsu telling him that the Yukianesa still existed, and that Yuffie was to be its chosen wielder, Seth knew he had to act. Not only would his blade be a bother if he didn't, but he made a promise. One of the few. And he had a chance to keep it.

But first…he had to do something about the whole 'dead' part.

It didn't help he was starting to feel the exhaustion kick in.

That was a _dangerous_ side effect of the Heartless Form. Since he merged _existences_ with Miri in that state, upon the armor breaking and them returning to themselves as individuals, he was always tired. It was a drain on his mental _and_ physical state. Worse if he wielded the Clock Up. Which he did. Twice. And he wasn't very well rested before he went into it either.

But he knew only one way he could return her to life. And he'd have to act fast, before she descended too far into the afterlife.

The question was…how the _hell_ was he gonna pull it off? He knew of only one spell that could do what he needed…but it was self-targeting in the end. He would have to break it down.

_Cross that bridge when I get to it. First…I need the components._

* * *

She was dead. She was dead and it was _his_ fault. Cloud gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. Unseen, Leon did the same with his gunblade. They were going to make him _pay_.

Or at least…they'd planned to.

A deep, disturbing feeling washed over everyone. The telltale sign of a Dark Corridor being opened. All eyes turned to the direction that the disturbance came from, which was at a far wall by Seth. Tears were blinked away as the form of a green haired, olive skinned woman was unceremoniously thrown out of the dark portal. She gave a cry of surprise upon crashing into the ground, before two Neo-Shadows ripped from the portal and grasped her arms, forcing her to partially rise.

Surprise turned to concern, and building horror as the woman squirmed and struggled, but stopped as Seth's cold gaze met her fearful one.

"I see." He said calmly, as if watching a woman come bursting from a Dark Corridor were commonplace. "You'll do."

She struggled again, before biting out. "I'll do _what?!_" she snarled. Such a pretty face, marred by an evil expression.

A pit opened up in Kairi's heart at Seth's next statement.

"Die, of course."

That statement caused everyone to freeze.

Everyone except Ino.

Her eyes never left Seth's form.

His left arm rose, a ring of light forming around his wrist. The light seemed to expand outwards, appearing as a rotating string of symbols. From three points of the ring formed lines, the lines connecting to form a triangle, which then flared, before splitting into three more triangles. The Glyph now resembling a Hazard sign, pulsed, before light-absorbing dark energy ripped from the three outer edges of the glyph, slamming into the woman who _**screamed**_. She screamed as if her flesh was being seared off her bones. Something seemed to _shatter_ around the woman, before the jagged tendrils of darkness receded, pulling a wispy, _strange_ energy with them. The energy lashed into the glyph, which turned from pure black to blinding white, before it too shattered, gathering around his left hand. The energy pulsed with a soft light, like a heartbeat, wisps of ghostly aura swirling and spiraling.

Now came the difficult part.

_How the __**fuck**__ am I supposed to use this?_

The Kitetsu was long since banished in a ripple of air, back to the conceptual pocket of space it resided within. He would have to look into that later. He _knew_ he didn't make a Vector Trap before he woke up. That type of spatial manipulation was beyond his skills, prior to Xemnas shoving his arm in Seth's chest. So how the _fuck_ did he make one? Shaking away the confusing thoughts, he tensed his hand, a small glowing pale green orb appearing within.

Everyone stared at him, in shock and horror. Except _Ino_.

_He's…confused. No…no he's trying to puzzle something out. I don't know what that was but that energy looks powerful. Maybe…maybe he's trying to use it for something? That must be the Life Materia he's holding. If that's the case…maybe he plans on bringing Yuffie back. But…he seems stumped. He…did say he focused on spells of a more destructive nature. Healing spells weren't so much beyond him as they were…difficult. He practices chaos, but admits he's more of the destructive side, than the creative side. So...maybe he's trying to think of a way to turn that energy into something useful._

_I remember that spell he used…but he didn't complete it. It's only half-done. Which was clearly purposeful. He's gotta use the Life Materia to get that energy into Yuffie. The Life Materia would convert that pure energy into that of a healing nature. 'Bring Life to the Lifeless'. That's its purpose. But…it takes more than just energy and will. Yuffie is freshly killed, her soul hasn't fully departed. So it would be easier. I know he used the Life Materia to make me Real again, but that was harder. And he used it to make Naminé real again, which was a little easier. This should be easiest, since Yuffie's body is still there, it's just badly damaged, and she's fading out of it._

_So he needs a way to convert the energy. He can't use himself as a conduit because he wouldn't be able to convert it fully. Some of it would stay with him, especially since he seems tired. Wait…I've got it!_

* * *

He must have been staring at his left hand, and the energy within, for over a minute now. He was puzzling multiple possibilities, trying to _craft_ a spell in his head. And then _she_ called out to him.

"Seth!"

Eyes turned to Ino. Seth as well, though his gaze was colder than the others, who were just confused. He had to admit, the girl didn't even flinch. And her eyes never left his. She simply held her left hand forward. A soft series of sparkling lights flowed from her palm, before they gathered. A small shaft of light rippled through the air as her Keyblade, wielding the Silent Sorrow keychain he gave her, appeared in hand.

She said nothing, simply keeping her gaze locked upon his, grasping her Keyblade loosely. His eyes narrowed. What was she-

And then it hit him. A slight rise of his eyebrows was the only expression of his surprise. The _Keyblade_ would work! He could use the Keyblade as a conduit for the energy, and fire it directly into the Life Materia, which would then, in turn, convert the energy into a usable state, and restore Yuffie.

"Hn." He gave a soft huff of amusement. He nodded to the black haired girl, a small, half-smile appearing on his face. "Good idea…Ino."

The pressure was _gone_.

He _acknowledged her_ again! Oh joy of joys, internally, Ino was screaming and raving like a madwoman who was just told she was now a billionaire. But outwardly, Ino just gave a soft smile, and nodded back.

The others were confused. The woman was giving low groans.

"That sound is getting annoying…" Seth muttered, though the silence caused him to be heard by all. "Miri. Consume."

The little white haired girl grinned ferally, before she turned and seemed to skip-teleport to the woman who looked like death warmed over. Harshly, and with a sadistic grin on her face, Miri slapped her hands to the woman's cheeks, lifted her head and then smashed her lips onto the woman's. The kiss lasted for only a second, before Miri pulled back, opening her mouth and _inhaling_ in a way that was clearly not human. The woman's mouth began opening of its own accord, before her body buckled, as a glittering heart-shaped crystal around a small shimmering star of light ripped from between the woman's lips.

Eyes widened all around, as Miri's head lashed forward, the girl's mouth opening far wider than it should have been capable, before she snatched the Heart in her teeth. Wrapping her tongue underneath it, she pulled it deeper into her throat, swallowing heavily and with a loud gulp. Everyone save Ino and Alicia (who simply blinked at the new method) stared in shock and horror as the girl seemed to shudder and give a low, throaty, almost _sensual_ moan. Her body shimmered with dark energy as her arms and legs buckled slightly. The woman's heart was _strong_, though it was filled with such negativity.

She released the woman's face, and the green haired woman's skin began to peel away, black liquid coming out of every orifice. Miri stepped away thoughtlessly, as black and violet wisps of murky essence engulfed the once-woman, her body _melting_ into a pool of darkness, which gathered and grew into a Neo Shadow. The newly created Heartless seemed to flex its hands for a few seconds, the glowing yellow dots serving as would-be eyes blinking in and out of existence, as if it were blinking rapidly. It then looked around, sensing many Hearts, and _strong_ ones at that, but a command invaded its mind, telling it not to attack, and to return to the Realm of Darkness.

Silently, it flipped backward, curling into a ball and dropping into a miniature Dark Corridor. The other Neo Shadows did the same. Not showing any ounce of care or concern, Seth handed the Life Materia to Miri, who had sensed what she wanted him to do with it. However…there was the issue of _them_ being in the way. His head turned to the Restoration Committee who were _all_ staring at him. Some in horror, most with revulsion, and all with hatred and anger mixed in.

But he didn't care. They wouldn't understand anything. So dialogue was useless.

"You are in the way." He spoke with an emotionless tone. His right arm rose, hand limp, before he flicked it. A _heavy_ pressure washed over the entirety of the Restoration Committee, and they were bowled over, blown backward and away from Yuffie. The surprise move, along with the fact that many of them were tangled with one another, allowed Miri to slip up to Yuffie. The white haired child blinked, looking at the dead girl from multiple angles, before holding out the Life Materia, which began to hover of its own accord.

Or, rather, Seth was devoting a small field to keeping it in place. In his mind, he pictured how he wanted things to go, and as he did so, he called his Keyblade, which formed in a crackle of black and red sparks. Gently, he rose the Keyblade until its tip was aligned with the floating Life Materia, which seemed to glow as if it knew its power were to be used. The tip of his Keyblade began to shimmer a soft white, which grew in intensity over the next few seconds. Seth slammed his left hand into the hilt of his Keyblade, pushing all the contained energy into the magical weapon. The light at the tip waivered, before the energy from his hand got sucked into the Keyblade, emerging at the tip as a near literal ball of light.

The sphere rocketed from his Keyblade, roaring through the air and crashing into the Life Materia, which seemed to suck the light into itself. There was a second's breath, before the Materia flared, a steady stream of light lancing from beneath it, right into Yuffie's chest. Everyone watched in amazement, and Ino with joy, as the light seemed to converge into strange symbols in a small ring, before the ring expanded outwards, surrounding Yuffie. Waves of energy seemed to wash over the dead girl, coating her very body. Unseen, due to the bright glow, every gash upon her flesh was slowly closing. Broken bones were shifting, connecting, knitting back together. Bruised skin was smoothed out, burst blood vessels were closed, marrow drawn from bones, mixing with internal liquids to re-create blood flow.

The light grew almost blinding, before it seemed to peel away, revealing a fully restored Yuffie. Not a single blemish was upon her. The only thing that proved she was just in a battle that cost her life, was her tattered clothing. The Restoration Committee gaped in shock as Seth did what Tifa and Aerith couldn't.

The Life Materia stopped glowing before flying back to Seth, landing in his left hand. He squeezed it, and it gave a soft pulse.

As if that were some sort of command, Yuffie's eyes snapped open, and she took a deep gasping breath of air. She breathed in so deeply, her lungs expanded too far, and she started coughing. Aerith and Tifa snapped out of their stupor first, and raced to her side, trying to calm the gasping, coughing young ninja. As the others of the Committee began to rise, it finally sinking in that Yuffie was _alive_, Seth had stepped forward. Tifa and Aerith noticed him, and glared, ready to defend Yuffie…but they were worthless as they were just gently shoved aside by his power.

Yuffie stared at him, breaths calming, eyes wide.

"…You have touched Death."

She just looked at him…and then nodded.

"Tell me something…Yuffie Kisaragi." He spoke with a calm, controlled voice.

"Do you still _fear_?"

Her eyes met his. And in that moment…she _understood_. She _wasn't_ afraid anymore. She'd _died_. She _felt_ herself die. She felt the immense pain of _every single strike_ on her body. She faced the _monster_ that invaded her space, lived in her mind, refused to let her _be_. And she **lost**.

Badly.

He outclassed her in every way. He read her every move. And though for a while she thought she was going to win, she was woefully unprepared. She gave her _everything_ and he took it and returned it a hundred-fold. She had felt pain. Suffering. Depression. **Fear**. And then she _died_. She was _killed_. She felt her body shut down, the world stop, _time_ stop. The pain gave way to numbness…which gave way to _peace_.

In the end, it wasn't Seth she was fighting. It wasn't the _monster_ that she was fighting. No. In the end, she was fighting _herself_. And when she came to that understanding, when just before everything _stopped_, she reviewed her life, her words, her actions, her _being_…she understood.

It surprised her, to wake. It shocked her, to feel, again. The peace was pulled away from her, her senses once muddled were restored fully. Her body felt like she'd just gotten a long sleep. Her mind was _clear_. And when she saw _him_, when he pushed away her friends, her _family_ like they were **nothing** to him, she didn't see a monster. She didn't see her killer. She saw a _man_. A man with nothing to lose, and everything to gain. A man who had lived through hell, who had lost everything, who _survived_.

A man who tore her apart, viciously. A man who _destroyed_ her without preamble. A man who outclassed her in every possible way. A man she fought against, and _lost_. And the price of her loss was _death_.

A man who was _obviously_ the cause of her return. She didn't need to _see_ the Life Materia to know he used it to bring her back. She simply had to know he _had_ it. And he used it before, for _something_.

She saw, not monster, not killer, not _death_. But a single Man. A _Human_. A _person_. With thoughts, emotions, fears, hopes, wishes, _feelings_.

Just like her.

"No."

And he _smiled_.

"Then my task is complete. My contract is fulfilled."

"…you were asked to help me." It wasn't a question, more an acknowledgement.

"Yes."

"Why?" It was a loaded question.

"Because I needed the Life Materia to fulfill a promise. You were an obstacle in my way. I gave you chances to lead me to my goal peacefully, but you refuted. You had to be removed. You had control over the situation, but you did not act in the way I'd hoped. I was asked by someone who is connected to one who cares for you, to assist you. No knowledge that it was I who put you in that state to begin with, yet ultimately it was your own choices that did so. I was angry. I still am. You were useful for helping me vent. And in the end, I fulfilled my contract."

She stared at him, mulling his words over. The others bristled with anger. Who was he to talk to her like that?!

"I was a tool for you."

"Yes."

"Was I useful?"

He grinned. "Fairly. Ultimately, this could have been avoided."

"But I didn't know. I didn't understand. I was afraid. Of you. And of being seen as a traitor. You…didn't kill anyone. I was depressed, but I still heard." Her voice was soft. Softer than they'd ever heard.

"You came…you had full control. You had planned for everything. I believe you. You used fear, intimidation as your swords. Others would have beaten the information out of me, or tried to. You didn't. You used truth. Facts. Information. You kept the others distracted, you captured me effortlessly. You scared the information out of me. Only doing enough physically to scare me further. You broke me down. Broke my will, my spirit. And then you threw me away once you were done. I was a tool to you. No...it's as you said. I was an obstacle. We all were. You could have killed me. You could have killed us. You could have done…a lot worse than you did. You could have killed…converted…so many. But you didn't."

"I would have preferred dialogue, but I wouldn't have been able to tell any of you why I needed the Life Materia. I surmised that my inability to inform any of you why I sought what I sought would have led to blows being exchanged anyway. Why bother with the song and dance when I can cut straight to the chase? I was going to be seen as a threat, a villain anyway. Even if I namedropped Sora, it wouldn't have been enough."

"You set the Heartless loose as a distraction to keep the others away. But they weren't to kill. Just stall. You took what you needed, no more."

Seth nodded.

"And then, you were asked to help me. But you were angry. You made me face my fears, throw them aside. And then you showed me what _real_ power is. I have never been the _strongest_. I might be the Fastest but clearly that speed means nothing now. You showed me my weaknesses. How powerless I truly am. How powerless we _all_ are. And then you killed me. And you brought me back after."

"There is something…in this world. It seeks you. It seeks you and it spoke to me. You are not ready to wield it. Not as you are. You are weak. Pathetic. A failure as a ninja."

Yuffie's eyes closed, but no tears came.

"Who the hell are you to-

"You are right." She said, cutting Tifa off. The brunette blinked rapidly and turned to Yuffie.

"I _am_ a failure as a ninja. I am not as fast as I could be. I'm not as skilled as I could be. My primary skills lie in my flexibility and ranged attacks. You can nullify both in seconds. I am fast, but you can become faster than my fastest, even with Materia. I don't have the power that Tifa has, I don't have the magical prowess of Aerith. I don't have a massive, boulder cleaving blade like Cloud, a lance like Cid. I am not Leon. I am myself. And I am weak."

"You are. But you are young still. You have not reached your prime. You can become stronger, faster."

"And you want me to. Because of the thing that called to you."

"It is meant to be yours. I don't know where it is, but a promise I made long ago has me duty bound to help you find it."

Yuffie nodded. "I see. The way you speak…it's as if you've trained with a ninja before."

Seth nodded. "I have. Long ago. It was to her I made my promise."

"I understand. Will you be my trainer? Will you teach me how to truly be a ninja?"

"I…" He hesitated a little. "…I can make no promises. I traveled with a ninja, learned some of her skills, but I was not trained to become one. I can teach you some things, but it will be up to you, to truly become worthy of the title of Kunoichi."

She stared into his eyes. "I submit myself to you, Master."

His lips quirked into a half-grin. "Are you sure you wanna put it that way? You're not exactly properly clothed…and that sentence structure implies something else as well."

Yuffie blinked, before looking down at herself. _That's_ why it felt so damn chilly! She was basically wearing strips of cloth! And wait…what the hell did he mean by-

Oh.

She shrugged. "You know what I meant. How I put it doesn't matter."

He grinned and shook his head. "Oh you're gonna be as fun as Ino…I know it."

Behind him, seen only by a few, Ino blushed. But she gathered her courage.

"It's not my fault you're a perverted flirt!" Ino yelled at him.

He blinked rapidly, not expecting that.

He was about to retort when Miri yanked on his pantleg. A sudden sense of urgency filled his heart. He turned to the girl, who had a very confused and disturbed look on her face.

"What Miri? What's wrong?"

She pointed up, craning her head back as if to look at something. Following her finger, he did the same, wondering what he was looking for.

If he hadn't just fused with Miri, used the Clock Up twice, then used a very draining Chaos spell before pushing a lot of focus into not letting a drop of gathered energy touch his core, covert it into a form usable by the Life Materia, and then hold a very conceptual conversation with the girl he just revived, he'd have sensed it sooner.

But unknown to any other than Miri and himself, but speculated by Ino, Kairi and Naminé…he was _exhausted_. And this exhaustion caused his senses to be muddled slightly. It took _Miri_ to sense the disturbance. His eyes glazed over as he realized the ceiling was getting _hazy_. The sensation from Miri told him it was _Dark Energy_, just not in a physical form yet. His eyes widened as a literal black dot appeared on the ceiling, before rapidly expanding.

"…dafuq…?"

And then it _exploded _outwards. The sudden wall of pressure blew him back, Miri being sent with him as she had grasped onto his jacket. The ceiling was quickly coated in black, which began to crawl down the walls. In seconds, the entire building was engulfed in darkness. And from the depths of that darkness, formed a single man.

"No…no way…" Sora muttered, eyes widening in shock.

Slowly, deliberately, the man stopped, a small grin on his face.

"Well…it would seem I have found a group of ants to crush."

Before them…stood Xehanort's Heartless. Otherwise known as **Ansem, Seeker of Darkness.**

…_oh…fuckapples._ Seth thought to himself.

* * *

Seth landed on his back, groaning.

The battle against the somehow revived "Ansem" was going…badly. Even with as many people as they had fighting, for some ungodly reason the human heartless (which was a more fitting title for Ansem than it ever was for Seth) was, _somehow_ too powerful. It wasn't a matter of speed or strength, or lack of damage. He would just…regenerate. Quickly. And that annoying Guardian thing of his…even when they kept _it_ busy and wailed on him like no tomorrow, he'd just recover it.

And worse, for some reason, all the Keyblade wielders were…weakened. Except Seth. But he was still tired from everything else that happened in the past few days. Miri was also unaffected, but Seth was loathe to let the girl face Ansem alone. He'd admit freely, he was worried for her. They _still_ hadn't had time to figure out entirely what she was capable of. And it was obvious to his senses that she got a power boost every time she consumed a heart. Thus, for someone who preferred to know as much about the power he wielded as possible, before he wielded it, Miri's power was…worrisome.

But the girl was very accommodating. She stayed near him, if not in his shadow. And now, with him on the ground, tired and panting, she stayed at his side, a trio of Neo Shadows around the two, as protection.

_Uhhhgggh. Alright…I gotta think about this…_ He closed his eyes, ignoring the flickers of color in the dark abyss.

That was another thing. This strange darkness that engulfed the building. Clearly it was tied into things…He let himself go, felt himself begin to relax, despite the aching of his muscles and the stinging of the cuts on his arms from the claws of the Guardian.

_This…darkness…it's…suppressing. No…__**oppressing**__. That's what's going on…it's a…a field. That's it, it's a field spell. It's altering the current space to be more malleable to Ansem's desires. Essentially it's a reality marble then…and it's weakening us. Or rather, it's weakening the others. Oh…that's it! The concept of Light is weaker here because the concept of Dark is so damn powerful! Usually Light and Dark are opposing yet equal elements, being able to dismantle the other. But right now, this __**entire**__ space is Dark. No outside Light is capable of coming through._

_And due to that, everyone who wields Light, even in small amounts, is being restricted. Miri and I aren't because we focus on the Dark. And Riku is only partially restricted because he tries to wield both equally. But then again he's still too much of a pussy to properly focus on his Dark powers. The darkness here is strong enough to weaken even Kairi, who by all logic from her station, which is illogical in itself, shouldn't be feeling any resistance. Sora and I are the only ones with a direct connection to her…so if she could boost her Light, even so, we're the only ones who would feel the effects._

_At least…as she is. If she were properly trained from the beginning, even a Field like this wouldn't be enough to stop her. Still…even with that, this Field is giving him a defense against all elements. And the Keyblade, though it's a physical weapon, is a manifestation of the heart, meaning it takes traits of whatever element its owner is strongest in. If it wasn't for this Field, the others would have trashed him easily. But this was a smart idea…_

_So we need to turn the Field against him somehow…we need a warrior of Darkness…and it's not gonna be me. I'm too tired from everything. I probably wouldn't be able to cut him down in my condition. Our best bet would be Riku. But he won't listen to me…but if it comes from __**Kairi**__…_

His resolve was set. He knew what he had to do. Miri turned her gaze upon him, before nodding, sending the Neo Shadows away as Seth slowly got up. He looked around. The world was pitch black, the only sources of color being the group and Ansem. There was 'ground', but it wasn't visible. Tangible, but not in any perceivable spectrum. He saw his target.

"Oi! Sora!"

The others stopped, turning away from the fight, to look at Seth, who had called out. Sora blinked, confused.

"I'm not sorry about this."

Sora frowned. As did Riku. What the hell was he talking about?

Suddenly, Kairi gasped, clutching her chest. Seth had smacked her with a heavy amount of **Will**. She coughed a little before giving a squeal as her Valor Form transformation was abruptly dispelled, prior to her being lifted off her feet and pulled towards Seth's outstretched left arm. The pulling forces ceased just before she reached him, the girl stumbling into his arms, where he gave her a wry grin, gripping her upper arms tightly and crushing his mouth to hers.

_Everyone _gaped at the sight. Even Ansem quirked an eyebrow, wondering what the hell was going on.

Unseen, Kairi's eyes widened, as suddenly her very _being_ was being invaded by his concept of existence. She tried to fight it off, but it was overwhelming! The immediate proximity, combined with the physical contact, combined with her mental walls being weaker due to Naminé no longer existing as a buffer between her and Seth, on top of _every other part of her_ being weakened due to the Immaterial Field of Darkness that surrounded them all, caused her defenses to crumble under his assault.

Red lines began tracing along both their bodies, following the pathways of their veins, as the Resonance Reaction grew in strength.

* * *

Darkness.

Dark.

Black.

Weak.

Weakness.

Weakness due to the Darkness.

Restriction of power.

Blockade of Light.

**Reality Marble.**

A type of Innate Bounded Field. Created specifically to bolster the Dark and weaken all concepts of Light.

Two spheres. Black and White. Clashing. Splintering.

Symbols.

A single point surrounded by four long vertical lines in the north, south, east and west positions around a glowing dot. Four more, smaller diagonal lines invaded the north-west, north-east, south-west and south-east points. A ring of symbols. The Glyph of Light. Resembling a shimmering star in the distance of space.

Two diagonal lines pointed inward, a single horizontal line underneath. The horizontal line began rippling, waving up and down, like crests of hilltops. The waves became jagged, angry, like rows of teeth. A ring of symbols around. A child's rendition of a beastly face. The Glyph of Darkness.

Two glyphs shattering. The white glyph releasing a glowing red symbol of a single upside-down V, two strange orbs just to the upper left and right. A frowning face? No…a vague shape of an exploding mountain top. A burst of fire erupted from the symbol. The Crest of Fire. A second glow. A bright emerald green. Two vertical lines encasing a ring with another vertical line coming from the bottom of the circle. As if to represent a shaft holding a key. How strange. A howling, blowing sound. A feeling of being buffeted. The strange symbol flared green. An image of a tornado. The Crest of Wind.

The black glyph spat out a dark yellow shine, a single Triangle with a vertical line directly through it. The head of an arrow? The symbol flared, dust and dirt spiraling around it. They converged into massive stones. A mountain. The Crest of Earth. A deep Blue. The sound of crashing waves. An N with a vertical line through it, as if someone were trying to bisect it. Why an N? Why not? Neptune, God of the Sea. The Crest of Water.

Knowledge.

The Field blocked all elements other than Darkness. The elements of Light and Dark were comprised of two other elements each. Fire and Wind for Light. Water and Earth for Dark. Fire illuminates. Wind blows away obstructions. Earth obscures. Water compresses, pulling it into its depths where light cannot reach.

The Field reduced the Light, enhanced the Dark. Even _her_ light was dimmed by it. They were incapable of defeating him at this point. The Field would just refresh him. They needed someone attuned to the darkness. They needed a warrior capable of wielding his power against him. Capable of at least nullifying his defenses and bonuses, if only so the others could land strikes that _lasted_.

He thought of Riku.

But something _else_ emerged…

Kairi is a Princess of Heart. Incapable of being corrupted by Darkness. Negative emotions were felt, but they didn't _stick_ like they would to someone else. She was an overall, positive being. However, Seth believed her existence to be…_wrong_. Perhaps wrong was too strong a term. Unnatural, is more like it. The rules of existence he followed and believed in, stated that every existence has an equal and opposite. Every Light has its Darkness. Where the Light is, should one place an object before it, a Shadow is created.

If Kairi's heart is pure light, then that means somewhere, there exists a pure darkness, that is of her. It wasn't Naminé, and it definitely wasn't Xion. So where was it?

With Kairi's heart being pure light, no shadow, no Darkness could take hold. Which means that darkness was pushed out of her heart, away from her existence. It was not contained within Naminé, for Naminé was inside Kairi's heart, and protected by its unnaturality. Logically, it should have gone to Sora, which, for a time, it did. However, since a few months ago, there came a _different_ outlet.

Seth himself.

Unknown to either, though at times speculated by Seth, and partially sensed by Miri; Kairi's darkness was flowing into Seth. But since his mental defenses are far stronger than Kairi's, it was contained. Contained in a space of his heart, gathering strength. However since it was also _his_ heart that it was calling home, it was tempered by his will and way of life. Yet due to their connection, it was constantly being fed. Fed by Kairi's doubts and fears. Her worries and uncertainties. But due to Seth, those feelings were analyzed and stripped of all power. All of the thoughts and emotions immediately suppressed by Kairi, were sent to Seth, contained, and analyzed.

And a _life_ was born. It was born, but it was asleep. Asleep. Dreaming of one person. Dreaming of its love. Dreaming of the one who gave it life…who gave it purpose. The one who accepted it.

And now…it would wake.

* * *

It was only a few seconds. Sora was blinking rapidly. _I thought he didn't like her like that…_

Ino was a little put out that it was Kairi being kissed, and not her, but her logical side kicked in. _Is he…trying to send information to her?_

Oh he was. Everything he'd reasoned and thought up in the past few minutes, while the others were fighting (and losing) against Ansem, he was sending to her. But he was also unknowingly doing something else.

There were many factors involved in what came next. One of which being it was _Seth_ kissing Kairi, and not the other way around. Unbeknownst to him, nor even Sora, Kairi carried a bit of a torch for Seth. He was just simply so _powerful_ in many senses of the word. She'd chosen Sora, but she had a hard time denying that Seth drew her attention sometimes. And when Seth took control over a situation, a part of Kairi found it…very enticing. She wasn't the type to like being dominated, but she always admired _strength_ in terms of leadership. And regardless of what Seth would tell someone, he was a natural leader.

Another factor was that he was _pushing_ everything he had into her. Unintentionally adding some of his life force, not just his will. This would be the cause of a specific part of what would come in the next minute. He was crushing aside her attempts to resist, completely dominating her will and spirit with his own. Born of a mixture of exhaustion and desperation, he threw his _everything_ into her.

A third factor, was the Field itself. Attuned to the element of Darkness, and suppressing all forms of Light. Including Kairi's very existence. Her being, her spirit, her power, her _consciousness_, was being denied by the Immaterial Border. This meant that Kairi's entire _concept_ was being suppressed. And combined with Seth's will, that which was 'Kairi' was now being shoved aside.

The fourth factor, was that Seth was _right_. Every light, no matter how bright or powerful or conceptual; cast a shadow. The stronger the Light, the stronger the Shadow. Even moreso, if that shadow were that of a _heart_.

The Shadow of Kairi's heart had long since been born. And now, it was waking.

If anyone was close enough, they'd have seen the red lines, pacing along the pathways of their veins with the beats of their resonating hearts, start to invert.

Or rather, on _Seth_, they were beginning to invert.

Rather than pulsing from his heart to his extremities, now, the lines were flowing from his tips, to his core. And as they touched that core, the lines would spread from _Kairi's_ core, to the edges of her body. Not only that, but what was once Red lines…were slowly darkening to _black_.

What they _did_ see, was Kairi go from a stiff, shocked state, to a sort of…relaxed posture. Her eyes fluttered closed, as she seemed to lean into the kiss more. Her left arm rose, ignoring the grip of Seth upon it, to reach up and place her hand upon the back of Seth's head, her hand burying itself in his hair. Her right arm seemed to tense, grabbing his left, pulling herself closer.

And then the _belt_ appeared.

In a wave of shimmering lights, the driver that Seth gave her, formed around Kairi's waist. It seemed to glimmer with an odd, inverted light, waves of negative energy echoing out of the core. Barely noticed, something seemed to jump from Seth's body, into Kairi's. Kairi's body gave a soft, pale glow, a haze of power and force beginning to waft around her. Her red hair began to darken, rising and fanning out of its own accord.

_More…_

Her grip tightened around him. Fingers almost digging into his scalp.

_More…_

Her lips parted, tongue darting between his, stroking along his own. She ignored that there was a _weak_ response at best.

_More._

She _felt_ his essence being pulled into her own. His knowledge was slowly becoming hers. Images, thoughts, sounds, smells, tastes…everything that was _him_ was being brought into _her_.

_More!_

Need. _**Desire**_. A flame had been lit in her core. She needed it. She _wanted_ it. Everything that he was, she _craved._ She drank in his very being, pulling, drawing it into herself.

_**More!**_

She could feel it. She was pulling too much. No, that wouldn't do. She didn't want him dead. No, she wanted him _very much_ alive. After all, she couldn't very well have her _fun_ with him if he died. No…this was enough. She wanted more, but it would have to be freely given. Not taken. He taught her better than that.

_**Let the Seas dry! Let the Skies fall! Let Life become Death! Let the World End! The Light burns all it touches, it sears into the eyes of Man! The Embrace of Darkness shrouds eternity within soothing cool, to defend the life of Will! May the Light burn out! May the Darkness engulf all! Let Chaos reign O'er Life's Domain!**_

* * *

The air became heavy with pressure. Sora dropped to his knees as his heart hammered away in his chest. His own connection to Kairi becoming muffled, blocked by something…_else_.

"Sora! What's wrong? Is it Kairi?" Riku exclaimed, barely being able to get his words out due to the pressure.

Sora shook his head, clutching his chest and gasping. "I…I can't…I can't feel her. She's…she's…"

And then the pressure stopped.

Silence.

Broken.

_**ANTI-FORM**_

* * *

**A/N: **And there we have it. Seth vs Yuffie ending in Yuffie's almost permanent death, if it werent for that sword of his being semi-sentient and sensing the existence of another of its kind. and yes, that sword has meaning and will be explained more soon. and now Ansem of all people is back and kicking their asses with a Reality Marble of all things. And now Kairi has gone **Anti-Form**. What the hell could that mean this time around? Last time she was the collective knowledge of an entire realm, given form through Kairi's shunted darkness. So what now?

Yuffie fans will probably hate how weak she was, but i plan on making her more awesome soon enough. This story takes the thought that while she has some maneuvers and skills similar to that of a Shinobi, she is not fully trained, and her training was halted at a young age. On top of which, none of the Restoration Committee are speed-based fighters, so she couldnt get the full effect. Seth reasoned that if she were trained properly, she'd have been running circles around his armored state, and his Shadow state would have only been able to match her normal speed. Seth believes it should have taken Clock Up for him to even _think_ of keeping up with her. She'll get better though. promise.

**Anonymous Reviewer: **glad you enjoy it so far. hope it keeps your attention.

**Tallbain: **your method of contact is an interesting one. Also, i see you've noticed a trend i didnt. Interesting. i do indeed tend to phase out fan favorites if i have a gripe with their personality. I've said it before, but i try to write characters the way people would actually react for the most part. Axel wouldnt just straight up be forgiven, regardless of connection, after everything he'd done. not by Roxas or Xion, honestly. And Roxas and Xion had a much closer bond than Axel did with either.

Anyway, next chapter involves Anti-Form Kairi! Wonder how she'll be like. Also next chapter includes a series of revelations, conversations and embarrassment for certain characters! Some might not like my personal backstory for them but hell it makes for funny shit that still borders logic!


	10. Anti-Form

Through time and space, upon various worlds…

Since the dawn of Man there existed beings capable of seemingly impossible feats.

Over time, two forces collided, those that would be called Light, and those that would be called Dark.

Upon their clash, worlds were shattered, lives were lost, entire populations displaced or destroyed by the raging opposing forces.

This clash, this battle of wills, of ideals, thoughts and wishes, beliefs and ways of life; came to be known as "Chaos". A writhing, spiraling force of all existence, the spawn of difference, of change.

Upon the end of their clash, the greater world settled. As the two factions of Light and Dark came to rest, weary from the many battles, a people were born.

Born into the realm, seven fragments of pure light. These fragments flowed through the various worlds created by the Chaos, scattering their illuminating rays along the Darkness. The Darkness recoiled at their power, their brilliance. The Darkness became mere Shadows, but due to the nature of Light, it did not fully die, as it couldn't. Yet soon, as with all things, the Light did fade, and Dark remained. But it did not mean the Light was gone. Nay, for the Light had been sealed within the hearts of Seven. Seven maidens bearing hearts of Pure Light. They would soon come to be called Princess of Heart.

Unbeknownst to them, their status as Princess of Heart, created a vague connection between them. One that was strengthened upon their hearts being taken and sealed into the magical weapon known as a Keyblade. At that time, six of seven hearts touched, the phantom connections between them growing stronger, as they were nearly forced to merge into one. Of course, it is needless to say that the Keyblade that bound them was destroyed, releasing their hearts back to their respective bodies. But their need of resonance to keep the Raging Darkness at bay, kept the connections open.

Though they were eventually returned to their individual homes, memories of one another being contorted and crushed due to outside influence, their hearts remained connected.

And it was at this moment, the moment that the Seventh Princess, was overwhelmed by the will and power of an outside force, that the remaining six reacted.

As one, each maiden grasped their chest, as it felt like their heart was trying to rip itself from their bodies. They all dropped what they were doing, falling to their knees, almost as if planned. Their gasps for air became raging pants of dying breath, their mouths open in silent screams. While they were all connected to one another, they were all connected to _her_. And when _her_ heart became locked away into a deep, fearsome Darkness, the light of her heart was blocked.

As one, they spoke a single phrase. One that held no meaning to them individually, but would come to hold meaning to all, in time.

"_**ANTI-FORM"**_

**Kingdom Hearts RE: Order**

**Chapter IX: **_**Anti-Existence**_

A wall of black ripped from the core of the buckle. The inverted light was deep enough to be blinding. _Blinding!_ How could such a thing be possible?! But yet it was. The concept of Sight was taken from them all, as an immense wave of Darkness ripped through their bodies.

Sight returned to them, slowly, however. And they were greeted with something completely unexpected.

Kairi stood, body giving a dim white glow. Wisps of almost invisible black tendrils, like smoke, flowed around her body. Her hair had grown, cascading down her back in flowing waves. But it was no longer red. Stripped of color, it had turned a deep black, with only the tips of the strands framing her face, retaining the red she was known for. Only said red was the color of blood.

But the most notable thing was…she was _completely stark naked_. The glow made it hard to see…detail…but it was obvious she wasn't wearing anything. Not even the _belt_ remained.

The second most notable thing, was that she was cradling Seth's head to her chest, his body slumped forward, limp. He appeared to be unconscious, the way his arms were basically dangling around hers, his body seemingly lifeless. But the odd thing was she was holding him…tenderly. Like the embrace of a lover. She stroked the back of his head, supporting his weight with her own, barely even phased by the taller man's form. Gently, she shifted to a state where she could lay him down next to the very confused form of Miri.

The little Shadow Girl stared at Kairi, extremely uncertain. The girl, whose heart once radiated a near blinding light, was…blank. It felt like _herself_. And she could barely sense Seth at all! Miri jumped as Kairi addressed her.

"**Do not worry, little one. I took a bit too much during the conversion is all. He still lives."**

Her voice sent chills down the men's spines. Most notably Sora's. It was deeper than her normal tone, but filled with…_something_. A primal essence that gripped at their emotions. It was breathy, almost sensual the way she spoke, echoes of lust and desire filling them. It took little effort for the elders, such as Cloud and Cid to shake it off, but it was more difficult for the younger trio.

They watched Kairi gently lean down, stroking the unconscious Seth's face. Smiling at him.

"**Oh my love…I do hope you wake soon. I've got a particular **_**itch**_** that you need to scratch for me."**

"damn." Lea muttered. He and many of the other adults knew immediately what Kairi was referring to. But it was weird. Wasn't she with _Sora_?

Miri stared at the girl, confused, wary…worried. She flinched when Kairi suddenly reached over and pulled her into a tight hug.

"**Don't fret, little Guardian of his Heart. My love will be fine. I promise."**

The tenseness in Miri's body faded. Such close proximity, such like sensation…she could feel the girl's heart. And even though the Light of her heart was blocked by the very same Darkness that Miri herself was made of, she could feel _truth_ inside the girl's statement. And **love**. That confused her just as much as it did the others. So she pushed. She pushed and dug…and it _hit_ her. She _understood_ now.

She blinked up at Kairi in surprise.

"**Ahh so you get it then? I'm glad. He always did believe you to be highly intelligent."**

Miri nodded, and Kairi let go of the girl, placing a gentle kiss upon the child's forehead. Miri felt her cheeks grow hot. Why was she blushing? Maybe it's because someone other than Seth was showing her such affection. She felt…thankfulness, coming from the Reverse Princess. Thankfulness…acknowledgement…acceptance…and…_love_? What was it she called her? 'Guardian of Seth's Heart?' Miri supposed that it was apt.

The now black-haired girl stood and stretched. A soft, devious smile appearing on her face. Combined with the strange aura she was giving off, the small half-grin was doing _horrible_ things to the boys' minds. And then, in the blink of an eye, she vanished.

Only to re-appear with her arm around Ino's neck. The black haired once-replica jumped in fright, not expecting _anything_ like that.

"**You know…you and I are a lot alike."**

"K-Kairi?"

The girl grinned, red eyes seeming to shimmer with mirth. **"Not quite."** That statement put everyone on edge, especially Sora, who was _very_ worried. He knew what happened with Anti-Form. But he _also_ knew that shouldn't have been _possible_. What he _wanted_ to know is _why the hell she was so touchy with Seth_.

"Wh-who are you…?"

The red-eyed girl shrugged. **"I don't have a name. I'm waiting for him to give me one."** She punctuated that by flicking her head towards the unconscious Seth. Ino blinked.

"Like…like me then…"

Kairi(?) grinned. **"Very much like you."**

"What happened to Kairi?! What the hell are you?!" Riku yelled, pushing past his discomfort.

Kairi(?) scrunched up her nose in distaste, letting go of Ino. **"Kairi is still there. She's just…asleep for now. And good thing too. She's useless at the moment. I…am a Shadow. **_**Her**_** shadow."**

"That's impossible! Kairi's heart can't have darkness in it!" was his retort.

Kairi(?) rolled her eyes, giving an exasperated sigh. **"Oh Tia…are you naturally this stupid or do you practice? Actually no, I take that back, you **_**must**_** practice. How else do you explain thinking Sora'd forgotten you and Kairi."**

Riku flinched, not expecting such a blatant retort.

"**It would take too long to explain now. I am her shadow. Deal with it."**

"Kairi…" Sora spoke in a small voice. "Why…? Why can't I feel you…?"

Kairi(?) frowned. **"Because she's **_**asleep**_**, duh! For Tia's sake Sora use your brain! You can't feel her because she's not here to be **_**felt**_**. It's all **_**me**_** right now. And thank Tia for that too."**

The way she spoke tickled Alicia's mind. "…Seth…?"

Kairi(?) whirled around, surprised. **"Ahh, so the Not-Valkyrie figured it out? No…no not quite. There is a lot of Seth in me…though not as much as I'd like there to be…" **She trailed off with a saucy grin, making Ino's and Alicia's cheeks flare, Aqua blink rapidly, and the others just stare blankly at the innuendo. **"But no. I am not him. I am still technically Kairi. Just her Shadow."**

She was going to continue, when she sensed something at the edge of her perceptions. With a twirl, she threw her arms out, Ino and Alicia going flying away, as Ansem suddenly appeared in a blur of speed, his fist slamming into her chest. But rather than be launched away, instead, his fist sunk into her body, a wall of dark energy surrounding his arm.

"I find that your light has turned to Darkness to be quite intriguing, Princess. Allow me to see how such magnificence was attained."

Kairi(?) stared at the man, her red eyes shimmering with irritation. Ansem was surprised, a look of mild shock on his face. Usually when one channeled darkness, their eyes turned a golden yellow. Hers were blood red. And…wait…were those…commas?

"**There are only two men in all the realms I want touching me anywhere near there." **Her irritated stare turned into an angry glare. **"And you are **_**neither**_** of them."**

Fast as lightning, her right hand lashed out in a fist, punching the Seeker of Darkness in the face. But to everyone's shock and surprise, in the same second, her hair fluttered up, before seeming to fray away at the tips, turning into a wispy violet. As that happened, a strange distortion in the air formed, glowing blood red symbols appearing in a ring around a wall of hazy air, preceding a **massive** black fist that slammed into Ansem's body. The Seeker of Darkness was thrown away, body tumbling in the air.

**(BGM: .hack/QUARANTINE – Phase 06: Macha the Temptress)**

Everyone blinked as suddenly the sound of bells filled their ears. They looked around wildly as echoing cries of a mixed choir raced through the blank space. The rapid pedals of an organ slowly faded in.

"What the hell…?" Leon muttered.

Ino, however, recognized the concept. "HOLY CRAP!" She exclaimed. Everyone save Seth, who was unconscious; Miri, who was watching Kairi(?); and Kairi(?) turned to the girl.

"This would happen back there, in that strange dimension I was in! Every time Seth was around, music would play! It's some sort of…of…sign…that he had vague control over the space he currently resided in!"

She couldn't continue, because a loud **CRACK** echoed through the air. Said sound was caused by Anti-Kairi suddenly disappearing and re-appearing right in Ansem's face, and punching him again. A strange **THOOSH **ripped through the air as another black fist formed and also punched the Heartless Man, just like before. He flipped in the air, nursing his sore face. That _hurt!_ That shouldn't have even connected! And what the hell was with this music?!

"Come, Guardian!"

Ansem's personal Heartless, born from the shadow of a wayward wanderer's heart, emerged from the abyss around him. In a flash, it was upon the now black-haired girl, only for her to vanish again. To Ansem's shock, he couldn't follow her movements. He usually could monitor the progress of a quick-moving target by allowing his senses to pinpoint their heart. But this girl…her heart was of the same darkness as the abyss around them. He could not sense her, even when she was right in front of him.

Which she was. And once again, she was attacking him. Five rapid thrusts of her hands, fingers connected as one, creating a solid wall, thrust forward as if she were trying to stab him with her bare hands, followed by a low crouch to avoid a retaliating swing, an elbow to the stomach, which was chased by a rising shoulder-check right to his chin, throwing him back. The Guardian rushed behind her, but she turned around and lashed out, the strange shadowy hair-fist appearing and slamming into it.

Trying to use her distraction, Ansem quickly recovered from her rapid assault, and flickered to her location, only to be met with a foot crashing into his chest. He stumbled back, and she teleported again. Reappearing behind him, she spun on her left foot, raising her leg much higher than anyone expected to see, and slamming her right heel into his face. Then she spun again, the moment the first revolution completed. And then a third time. And a forth.

Finally she seemed to arc her right knee in such a way that she rapidly kicked him while bending her _left_ knee, lowering her to the ground where she violently flipped back, spreading both legs out in a backflip-kick. Her hair had fluttered around again, partially vanishing. A distortion opened beneath Ansem as she kicked him, a massive spiked heel-tipped foot lashing upwards, kicking him into the air. She vanished again, appearing above him, knees bent to her chest as if she were trying to cannonball into a pool.

But rather than slam into him with her full weight, she lashed out her right foot, kicking him in the face, followed by her left. Then her right, then left, and right and left, the girl doing some sort of rapid stomping right on the Heartless-Man's face until she smashed both feet into his nose, slamming him into the 'ground'.

* * *

"She's…hitting him. She's _actually_ hitting him...!" Tifa whispered, shocked.

"If it wasn't the damn guardian it was that damn barrier. How the hell's she cutting through it?!" Cid complained.

"The darkness she commands."

Both groups turned to Ienzo, who was watching the battle intently, highly interested in the unexpected turn of events.

"Explain." Isa spoke sharply.

"It is quite obvious that this 'Ansem' wields the power of darkness to defend against every element. Clearly he knew what he was getting into before confronting us. It's likely that young Seth had realized that this Abyss saps the power of Light, weakening our own forces. Combine that with that irritating Guardian of his, and his own personally crafted field of protection against even the non-light elements, and we have a nearly unbeatable foe."

"Get to the point already!" Lea complained.

Ienzo rolled his eyes. "The point is, this…Anti-Kairi is a being of Darkness, much like Ansem himself. Ansem didn't expect to ever fight someone with his own element, so he didn't, or perhaps _couldn't_, add it to his barrier. For her, the barrier doesn't exist, allowing her to strike decisively without any restriction."

"I get it." Alicia spoke up. Upon everyone's glances she continued.

"It's like psychic fields. In order to pierce them, one has to resonate with it in a similar way, or in the right classification of opposite, to flow with it. That's the first step of Object Materialization, to resonate your essence with the essence of the one surrounding what you're using."

"But why Kairi? Why not me?" Riku asked.

"Dude…do you _want_ him kissing you?" Roxas countered.

Riku blanched. "Gah hell no! I meant the darkness! Why didn't he just tell me?"

"Would you have listened to him?" Ino questioned softly, watching Anti-Kairi pummel the hell out of Ansem. "That's likely why he kissed her. To get her the information as fast as possible, so _she_ could tell you. That…Anti-Form…must not have been planned." Ino tilted her head at what she just saw. Kairi had done an overhead leg drop with her left leg, only to throw her weight backward and start spinning like a set of helicopter blades, rapidly smashing _both_ heels into random parts of Ansem's body, before another massive **Foot** crashed into his side, throwing him away.

Riku had nothing to say at Ino's declaration, closing his eyes and grabbing the bridge of his nose, to stave off a headache.

While he was doing that, Roxas poked Sora. "Hey…you alright bro?"

"…I still can't feel her. And yet…for some reason…this still feels like her. Just not…the Kairi I know." The brunette said, still holding his chest. He looked so confused.

"Well…we'll just ask her when she's done kicking this guy's ass for us. Right?" Roxas pushed.

Sora nodded absently, watching.

* * *

The Guardian, while easy for her to repel, was starting to get annoying. It had to go.

Ducking low under a swing of its fist, she lashed out with her own, another massive hair-fist smashing into its face. Just as security, she spun around and did the same, throwing Ansem back too. She closed her eyes, reaching out with all her senses, letting her imagination run wild. She saw exactly what she wanted to have happen. Now, she had to make it _real_.

Kicking her right heel back, she spun in place once, flicking her hips to her left. Her hair began to flutter up on its own, seeming to grow. She swept her left arm out as if passing it along something, such as a banister or railing, before throwing both hands into the air, pivoting again, and then bringing them back down.

"**AVAVAGO!"**

Upon her call of unintelligible language, her hair billowed outward, before twisting together, growing exponentially, rising into the air and slamming into the 'ground'. A massive distortion erupted beneath her feet, lined with blood red squiggles. Seconds later, a similar distortion opened up in the air near the Guardian, who whirled around to stare at it. It sensed a _powerful_ threat to its maker, and prepared to drive it off.

The distortion released an impossible amount of hair, that fused together slowly, until forming the shape of the head of a dragon that immediately roared at the Guardian. Unphased, the Heartless Construct moved to intercept, only to have the dragon's head lash forward, far faster than _anyone_ expected, and engulf the Guardian into its maw. The dragon head chomped down upon the Guardian, fast enough to keep it from escaping, and hard enough for bursts of blue-black smoke to spray out of its form. The sheer power contained within this strange creature was puncturing the Guardian's nigh-invincible flesh like paper.

Everyone watched in morbid fascination as the dragon head chomped away, before lowering its maw. For a second, they thought it was going to drop the Heartless Construct, but instead it just snapped its jaw shut, one final time. The Guardian could take no more punishment, and exploded in a wall of black and blue wisps. The dragon roared one last time, this one an obvious bellow of triumph, and then faded back into its component hairs, dropping back into the distortion, which closed.

As Anti-Kairi's hair returned to its normal length, she turned around, a sadistic grin on her face.

"Come! Guardian!"

…nothing happened.

Suddenly, _fear_ gripped Ansem. She had _destroyed_ the Guardian! That was impossible! What the hell _was_ this girl, to have gone from a being of Pure Light, to a being of Darkness strong enough to kill that which should not have been killed?! He had no time to even truly ponder things, for suddenly he was being held by a group of smaller fists, each one binding his arms and legs, holding him in place.

Kairi's hair was only partially faded, and the girl slinked forward like a cat, lowering herself to the 'ground'. Her legs were angled in such a way that she looked like a feline of prey, ready to pounce on her selected target. She gave a feral, _familiar_ grin, before the rest of her hair began to rise, bending forward, pointing towards just in front of her face. To everyone's surprise, the air in front of her began to distort and buckle, a series of ripples forming. As the ripples became denser, more pronounced, the air before her turned black, obvious dark energy being gathered, compressed into a ball. The massive sphere slowly shrunk, until it was about the size of a golf-ball, before Anti-Kairi's mouth opened wide, the black, crackling sphere dropping inside. She closed her lips around it, cheeks bulging outwards.

Sora, Alicia, Aqua and Naminé all cried out in shock at the girl's actions. Miri stared in abject surprise. She thought _she _was the only one capable of that trick! They _recognized_ that maneuver.

"That's the **Imari!**" Naminé yelled out.

Anti-Kairi threw her head back, before lashing it forward, mouth open. A **massive** beam of darkness ripped from between her teeth, engulfing Ansem in its fury, the Heartless-Man screaming at the irridation of pure dark energy into his body. It was far more potent and powerful than he ever experienced, and even this form could not handle it. He felt his form breaking, splintering, and with a final roar of agony, and a grand explosion of power, he was no more.

Rapidly, the abyss faded away, returning everyone to the Gathering Hall of Radiant Garden. Anti-Kairi slowly stood, as at the back of the hall, where Ansem had been thrown before exploding, a figure dropped from the scattering spheres of light, along with a small object that broke upon contact with the ground. With the vanishing of the abyss, the music that had basically served as Anti-Kairi's battle theme, faded away.

A soft groan punctured the stunned silence. Miri looked down, and Anti-Kairi teleported to Seth's side, as he slowly roused.

"Ugh…Tia…did anyone get the name of the bastard dropped a colony on my head…?"

"**You're awake!"**

"eh?" Seth looked up to see the blurry form of a black haired girl slam into him. He coughed loudly as his back hit the floor, the living missile that was Kairi's Anti-Form clinging to him, smiling widely.

"Oh god with the crushing…" He moaned. She sat up, straddling his waist. He blinked, wiping his eyes.

"…red…?"

She grinned. **"Not quite."**

Seth's brows scrunched as he looked past the girl sitting on him, and seeing both Naminé **and** Ino, along with Yuffie too, he realized he had no idea what the hell was going on.

"…uhh…?"

"**Anti-Form."** She spoke.

"Oh. **OH!** Whoops…"

She grinned at him. **"No. No 'whoops.' It was bound to happen."**

"Uhh…?"

"**Your theory was right. A heart of Pure Light cannot exist normally. For the longest time, her negative thoughts were being drained into others. First Sora for a while, but that connection was too weak. Then Naminé. But then, you came, and shared heart-spaces with her. When you two linked, her negative emotions were being siphoned into Naminé and you. But then you pulled Naminé out and made her real. So they just went to you."**

"I…see…" Not really. But it was slowly making sense.

"**So, when you kissed her last, to throw your idea into her head, the connection flared. Thanks to that wonderful pocket space, all the darkness floating around, along with Kairi's surprise and frustration that she was useless once again, led to me being drawn out of you, and taking form."**

"Wait…drawn out of _me?_"

Anti-Kairi nodded. **"She couldn't hold onto her negativity for long. Her heart shunts it away. All those dark thoughts and feelings went to you, where they were analyzed, registered as not your own, and sealed off. After a while, it just…built. I'm everything she pushes away about herself."**

"…her shadow…"

Anti-Kairi smiled saucily, before leaning forward, her hair beginning to frame his face.

"**I'm every thought, emotion, **_**wish**_**, that she pushes away. That she ignores about herself. Every dark little thought, every twisted desire…with all her memories and all her knowledge. I **_**am**_** Kairi…but thanks to you…I'm myself as well. It's just a pity this is temporary."**

"And Red?"

"**Asleep…though she's starting to wake up. Unfortunately."**

"You can't keep her asleep forever."

Anti-Kairi sighed. **"I am aware of this. Despite what I said, I'm her shadow…but I've existed in **_**your**_** heart. Your persona tempers mine."**

"…wait a second…" something started dawning on him when she said that. Her grin confirmed it.

"**That's right. That includes her suppressed feelings towards **_**you**_**."**

"…her hatred then." The girl on top of him threw her head back and laughed.

"**HA! HAHAHAHA! HAaa, ahh, no. No my love. **_**Everything else**_**."**

Seth stared, blinking. "Wait-what."

She grinned again, lowering her head towards his. **"Every thought…every wish…every **_**desire**_**." **With every word she lowered herself more and more, until she was whispering in his ear, before reaching out and nibbling on it. Seth's eyebrows shot up.

"She's with _Sora_ though." He said calmly, resisting the effects she was having on him. It was just now that he realized she was _naked_. The glow helped but he could still _feel_ her skin.

"**And? I'm the her that picked **_**you**_**. Sora's nice enough but he's so…**_**boring**_**. So goody-goody. Y'know…" **she leaned back slightly, but sat in such a way that she was basically straddling his crotch.

"**My lighter half isn't so pure. I'm only so damn horny because **_**she**_** pushes it away. She used to have a thing for Riku, mostly cause he was the most built guy on the Island. But she always did admire Sora's kindness. Ooh, Riku used to **_**turn her on**_** so damn much. Had to get off at **_**least**_** three times if she had been around him for longer than four hours."**

Eyes widened all around. Riku and Sora both flushed heavily. "Whu-gu-wha?!"

Anti-Kairi continued on like nobody said anything. **"Such a dirty mind on her too. I could spend hours telling you about all her wild fantasies and not cover every one of them. And it got worse whenever Sora rescued her. She's been wanting to ride him wild since she gave him that damn good-luck charm that turned into the Oathkeeper!"**

Sora blinked. "Eesh…no wonder she was able to go four times without getting tired…" he muttered.

And everyone _heard_ him. Of course Anti-Kairi returned everyone's attention to herself.

"**Ugh but after finding out she was **_**special**_** she started feeling guilty about being so damn horny all the time. Like it was somehow **_**wrong**_**. Puh-**_**leze!**_** Completely normal, especially for someone who just spent half a damn year connected to someone **_**else's**_** heart. Emotions get jumbled and crazy. But nooo, she had to set an example. So she started fighting all that horniness off. I swear, if I ever see that damn mouse I'm gonna kick his teeth in! And then she went and forgot. And let me tell you the **_**guilt**_** she felt when she realized she'd forgotten him. But again, pushed away."**

"…unsurprising…" Was all Seth had to say on that matter.

"**Oh but she sees him again after that year went by? Damn near floods her panties. And knowing she had a Keyblade now? About ten different uses for that thing popped into her head before she started blocking them off."**

Seth blinked. And then gave a small grin.

"Dirty mind, you say?"

"**You have**_** no**_** idea. But she was always pushing those thoughts away. Stupid girl. And then **_**you**_** come. And lemme tell you, while she was mostly pissed when you grabbed our tits like that, two parts of her weren't. One part, cultivated by her growing self-loathing for being such a ball of hormones, figured she deserved it. See, all that Princess of Heart shit started getting to her. Maiden of Light bullshit. She started questioning everything about herself. The depression never stuck cause of her condition but the thoughts remained. And in the smallest part of her mind, where she felt like she was failing at her station or some bullshit like that, she thought it was only **_**fair**_** what you were doing."**

"…didn't see _that_ coming."

"**Nobody would have. It was too small a voice, buried deeper than even Naminé could reach, and was constantly suppressed by everything else."**

"…and the second part?"

"**Loved every second of it. Sora never made a move, and she was – and still is – constantly suppressing her urge to just grab him and screw his brains out somewhere, so when you come along with no qualms about feeling her up, even if it was in her own body, that part of her was pretty much begging for it to keep going. As far as that part was concerned, she wasn't getting any from Sora, she was kinda still pissed with Riku being an asshole from before, so at that point she'd spent so long holding it back she was begging for release."**

"…yer fuckin' shittin' me."

"**I. Shit. You. **_**Not.**_**" **She poked his chest, leaning forward with each punctuation. **"In fact, a good amount of information she grabbed from you was how to get a guy off!"**

"Bullshit!" He blurted.

"**No bullshit. She suppressed a lot of it but the girl was connected vaguely to Sora, and heavily to you. And while you've got an admiral amount of control over your rampant feelings most of the time, whenever you two connected, she'd get **_**you**_** in full. And you **_**know**_** things. You've **_**done**_** all sorts of things. Sexual and otherwise. She admired that about you. That you could do so much in such a short amount of time, deal with so much, and not go insane. Well, **_**more**_** insane." **She giggled.

Seth rolled his eyes.

"**So subconsciously, since she wanted to ride Sora so damn badly, she grabbed what she could from your experiences. Watched it from a guy's point of view. But it was that, and her admiration that started making you…appealing to her. But she wanted **_**Sora**_**. So she **_**picked**_** Sora, and pushed away anything beyond friendship and mentoring, that had to do with you."**

"…and she's suppressing it heavily enough for it to have merged with her other suppressed thoughts and emotions…to create you. Who was born because of circumstance?"

"**I was already 'born.' I was just asleep, in your heart. Because that's where it all went. And when you tried to info-dump her, back in the abyss, the levels of dark energy surrounding the place, along with her own light being dimmed because of the oppression, let me wake up, and take control of her. I **_**am**_**her after all."**

"I see."

"**Do you?" **she asked, breathily. Pushing her weight on his crotch. **"Do you **_**really**_**? I don't think you do…not yet. But I'm happy to…**_**demonstrate**_**." **She spoke with a very seductive grin.

"…you have the Sharingan." He suddenly said. She rolled her eyes.

"**Don't change the-**

A small flash of light around her waist. The Driver appeared.

"**Dammit. Dammit, dammit, dammit." **She sighed. **"Looks like she's waking up. I thought I had more time. Stupid Light Realm." **She grumbled, then quickly grabbed his shirt and pulled him to her, crashing her lips on his.

His eyes widened mildly, surprised at the aggressiveness, before all the things she said re-asserted themselves in his mind. She broke the kiss and stared into his eyes.

"**Remember this, Seth. **_**I**_** picked **_**you**_**. She pushes it away but a part of her, voiced by myself, wants you. I am the Kairi that picked you over Sora. The one who lives at the end of the path she chose not to follow. I am all her darkness given form."**

Seth nodded, understanding…kinda. His head was still fuzzy and the knowledge that Kairi used to be a borderline nympho with no chance at getting any because of her surroundings was a bit surprising. Then again, being a Princess of Heart was…an entirely confusing existence. He'd have to ask Belle or something if she noticed any odd effects while growing up.

"**That said…please don't forget about me. It's…nice…to know at least one person accepts me, even if the rest of me doesn't."**

He frowned at that.

"**But…don't push her, ok?" **He rose an eyebrow. **"I have an idea…just leave everything to me. And…I'm going to leave the knowledge of how to call me out, in her head. You're my trigger, understand?"**

"Yeah."

She smiled softly at him.

"**Good. Maybe next time I can have you scratch that **_**itch**_** I've got."**

He blinked at her, shaking his head. Good thing his eyes were closed, because there was a flash of pure white. When the light faded, Kairi was back to normal, sitting on Seth's lap, arms around his neck, his around her waist. She blinked, and stared into his eyes. And then her cheeks flared red.

"Welcome back Red."

"I…I…" Her eyes were wide, her heart was racing. She _knew_ everything her Anti-Form did. Every word said, every thought, every feeling. She was…mortified.

"I think I can speak for all of us when I say, none of us think any less of you." She shook her head wildly. No! She was, she was a freak! A weirdo! A-

"Kairi." Her thoughts stopped. He doesn't use her name unless he's serious. "You. Are. **Normal.** …for once." He added.

She stared at him. "Ok, maybe being _that_ horny growing up is a little unusual but it happens. On top of which you're a Princess of Heart, meaning you have a greater and wilder emotional capacity than generally anyone else. Even the _purest_ of hearts has the desire to fuck once in a while. Everyone's a bit of a pervert inside, y'know. Some just have better reasons to push it away. And others act on it in some capacity."

She was about to retort when a _different_ groan echoed. They all turned to the back of the hall, where a somewhat familiar figure was rising. A head of blonde hair moved around slowly, as if trying to figure out where it was. A light peach hand reached up and massaged a forehead. Slowly, Kairi got off of Seth, who rose to his feet, dusting himself off. He didn't recognize the person, who as they rose, was revealed to be a woman. A slim figure concealed behind a small canary yellow tank-top and dark blue pants flaring at the cuffs.

"Larxene?!" Naminé yelled out in surprise.

The woman's head jerked up, and she saw the large group staring at her.

"…the hell…?" she said, recognizing a few people. She took a step forward.

"Ow! What the fuck!" she howled grabbing her foot as she'd stepped on something sharp. Seth's eyes narrowed at the floor where she stepped, noting there looked like something broken on the ground. Swiftly he walked over to where she was hopping, the blonde woman watching him, a glare on her face. Ignoring her, he knelt down, picking up the broken pieces of something.

Kairi flinched. "Seth! What's wrong?!" He was _pissed_ about something.

"…I'm staring at something that should be impossible, but is." Was the cryptic response.

"Wha-

"It's the reason why I sent you off on that date with Sora. I needed to confirm something…and I did. But my head hurts right now. Tend to this woman here, and tomorrow I'll be back. I need…to think."

"Yeah…yeah ok." Kairi said. She was still embarrassed and reeling from that…debacle…with her Anti-Form. She knew it wasn't a good idea to push away all those feelings but she had _no idea_ they'd come alive on their own and…blurt out all her private secrets.

She came to the realization that some part of her own heart _hated_ her…

_Is this…how he feels…?_

* * *

**FSSSSSHHHHHHhhh**…

"Hooooaaaahhhh…" a guttural sigh of content emerged from Seth's throat, the man lowering himself into a large tub of frothily steaming water. He was the type to prefer showers, but when it came to relaxing, even he knew nothing beat a nice, warm whirlpool bath. The jets of air, formed by runes creating continuous blasts of wind just underneath the water's surface, pummeled his back. The force was weak enough that it didn't hurt at all, but strong enough to knead his back muscles, something he so desperately needed.

It had been a long time since he'd last properly washed, let alone relaxed. He took dips into the Dark Ocean periodically, over the time he was wandering to complete the multiple tasks he'd set himself, but otherwise, the last time he had a proper bathing was before leaving The World that Never Was with Alicia. He considered himself lucky that there was a luxurious inn on this world, complete with a master suite that - while horribly expensive - was perfect for his needs. He sighed again, laying back into the jets, eyes closed.

"Now all I need is a cute girl…" he muttered absently. The encounter with Anti-Kairi, who had practically humped him while talking at him, left him…tense, in a sense. On top of the notion that he acknowledged he hadn't gotten laid since…well, it was best not to dwell on that. Bad memories led down that path, and now was a time to relax. He had plenty of time to reflect tomorrow, when he finally put everything together for the others.

**FRUUUT. FRUUU-thmp**

Seth blinked at the gentle sound of the sliding door opening and closing. The moderately large bathroom was separated from the rest of the suite by what seemed to be a walk-in closet with a normal oak door, and a set of metal-framed glass sliding doors. He turned his head, to see Miri gently stepping towards his location. Chuckling softly, he motioned to her.

"Funny. Guess I had that one coming."

She stopped at the edge of the tub. The bathroom was wide and tall with a soft, sky blue paint upon the walls, a pristine white ceiling, and a marble floor. Within the floor was a rather large whirlpool bath, which Seth currently occupied. Surprisingly, the bathroom was rather sparse, though the obvious main feature was the massive bathtub, which was shaped like a square with rounded corners. Seth was thankful the room and accommodations weren't geared towards lavish couples. That would have just made things feel weird.

"c'mon over Miri. This water's nice."

She blinked at him, before pulling the zipper of her cloak, dropping it to the ground. He grinned softly and shook his head.

"We really need to get you some underpants or something."

She blinked again, a questioning feeling entering his heart.

"Yeah yeah, I suppose it'd be pointless. Your clothes are just constructs after all."

She nodded, gently stepping into the tub, blinking and flinching slightly at the warmth. She wasn't expecting that. But slowly, she edged her way in, very interested in how her legs were being buffeted by moving water. Seth just watched, a content smile on his face as the little girl seemed to submerge herself fully, silver-white hair billowing out behind her as she went under, before she slowly rose her head, blinking the water out of her eyes.

The tub wasn't very deep, but considering her head reached his hip at best, it was easy for her to be able to submerge herself. Seth motioned her closer, to which she stood up and fought the pressure of the water to reach him, where she turned and sat promptly in his lap. He gave a bark of a laugh, grinning like a loon. And then she _wiggled_.

"Oi, oi!"

She turned her head, shooting him a coy smile. She did that on purpose. Both to mess with him, as well as to get comfortable. She leaned back, sighing in content. It always felt _good_ to be held by him. Even when she was a shadow. It felt…safe. Familiar.

"Now that I think about it…" She lazily opened her eyes, leaning her head against his chest so she could look at him. "This is the first time you've had a proper bath _ever_, isn't it?"

She just blinked at him. He shook his head, smiling still.

"Welp…guess no time like the present. Time to teach you about the human body, Miri. Might as well know if you're going to be in one."

Her eyes lit up. She _loved_ learning new things.

"We'll start with the basics. Your skin."

* * *

Miri sighed in content, laying in Seth's arms, the two sharing the extremely large bed. Relaxed, rested, and utterly exhausted, both by the day's events, and the information she just gained, she snuggled into his chest, smiling to herself. He was fast asleep, thanks in part to her…trickery…but he needed it. A lot would be spoken of tomorrow, and not all of it pleasant.

As she felt the pull of sleep, she thought back to the bath. It was such an unusual experience. One she'd hoped to repeat. Seth taught her everything he knew about the human body, what he knew of how it worked, the various parts, how they interacted. He ended up giving her a crash course in sexual interactions, considering that not only did she get herself off as the first thing she did in her human form practically, but...

_**He was now speaking of hair, and the part it played in both physical protection, and in how it can attract or repel others. His explanations made some sense to her, and he demonstrated how to care for her hair by washing it for her. Of course, being the first time she'd ever washed her hair, and considering he was very adept with his hands, he ended up giving her a scalp massage, as he lathered her silver-white locks.**_

_**Slowly she felt something build within her chest, and then it shot through her stomach. Her eyes opened wide, and a soft gasp came out from between her lips, as suddenly she gave a violent shudder. Seth immediately stopped what he was doing, and looked carefully at the small girl in front of him. He'd noted her rapid breathing, her wide eyed stare into space, her flushed cheeks, and how her body just seemed to…**_**melt**_** into him.**_

"…_**did you just have a fucking orgasm?"**_

_**All Miri could do was give a soft smile at him.**_

She giggled to herself, remembering the blank look of shock on his face. She couldn't even explain it to herself, but it made some sense after he told her that though that little nub at the top of the hole between her legs was the fastest and most reliable way to induce orgasm, sometimes even a simple gentle touch given in a certain way, by a certain person, could trigger one.

"_It's really confusing sometimes. But some people just react to someone's touch in an unusual way. I can't even begin to figure out how __**your**__ body works, since you look like a child but don't really act like one. On top of which, you started out a Shadow. So…I dunno. Maybe you're just built like that. We'll figure it out as we go along, I guess."_

Even so, though it was her second orgasm in her admittedly short so far life, she _loved_ the feeling. This would explain why humans craved sexual interaction so much after a point. With the right partner, it _did_ feel extremely good. She was extremely glad she'd encountered him. He made her feel things beyond hunger, and she never wanted those feelings to stop. She was aware of the abnormalities she displayed, compared to normal human children. But she _wasn't_ a human child. She was a being of darkness, a Heartless. She just happened to have gained a human form.

And Seth never treated her like a normal child. Yes, he fret for her wellbeing, but at the same time, he took to her as someone teaching a complete outsider about humanity. Oh she knew much, thanks to being in his heart, but hearing him _explain_ it to her…it felt good in a way she couldn't place. It didn't _usually_ spark the feeling of arousal…usually. It was a different sensation. One that made her chest tight, her head feel fuzzy, her skin feel tingly…but in a way different than when she was aroused. Which honestly wasn't frequently.

Oh how she wished she could speak. Well…she probably could. She just never tried. As the girl faded into sleep, she created a mental reminder to attempt to speak soon. If only so she could hear her own voice. After all, she was in the form of a human. She might as well use all of the functions available to her.

* * *

**(BGM: Zero Shinzaki: Unknown – Divine Blade of the Black Flame)**

**THOOSH**

"Turn _right._ Kick it down. Turn _right, _turn _right_, turn _right._ Turn _right._ Kick, _thrust_."

The Keyblade wielders plus Alicia, Lea, Ienzo and Isa all walked into the Gathering Hall to the sound of loud drums, and the sight of Seth and Miri…shadowboxing? Quietly, they made their way to the group of the Restoration Committee, whom were all on benches off to the side, watching the two figures strike at the air.

"What's going on?" Sora asked Yuffie.

"They've been doing this for almost an hour now. We came in to find Seth and the little one listening to strange music and just…moving. Sometimes they'd dance, other times they'd do this. It's been…pretty cool actually." Yuffie answered him.

It was messy, it ended in her death, but Seth's attack on Yuffie knocked her out of her funk, the way it was intended to. She understood _weakness_. She understood _fear_. And now she understood _death_. After a half-day's worth of resting and thinking, Yuffie started going back to her old energetic personality. She was different though, the others would say. More…darkness in her humor, more morbidity. But that she found humor in things, was enough, for now.

"Kairi!" Naminé whispered harshly, grabbing her other's arm. "This is it! This is the song I heard when he took you over!"

Kairi blinked in surprise. "This?"

Naminé nodded rapidly. "Yes! This very song!"

Kairi made a noise of interest, turning back to the 'show.'

* * *

**THOOSH**

A fist of silver ripped through the air. Seth and Miri as one took a step forward, ducking low and swinging their right arms up, hands balled in a fist. They stepped to the right, pivoting their bodies at an angle, as if to evade a counter attack, before lashing an elbow out, followed by a palm thrust. The two were bouncing on the balls of their feet, shifting themselves in tune to the beating drums playing in their ears.

"Right _hook_. Left _hook._ Jab, jab, jab." **THOOSH**

Upon the third jab, as a small ripple of distortion ripped from Seth's fist, a much _larger_ distortion opened up in the air next to Miri, where a large silvery fist ripped through the air, before collapsing into strands. The same technique that Anti-Kairi had performed, was now being mirrored by Miri. Only silvery-grey, where Anti-Kairi's appendages were black.

Knee lift, thrust kick. Step back with left foot, right palm forward. Right foot forward, left palm thrust. Left foot forward, right palm thrust. Step to right, angle on left heel, kick high with right leg, kick low, kick middle, spin-hop thrust kick with left leg. **THOOSH**

A silvery heel encased foot rip from the air, thrusting forward from next to Miri.

"Fan _kick_, heel _drop_, hop-spin-_kick!_" **THOOSH**

They'd stepped forward, spinning right leg clockwise up and around, kicking high. Using the momentum of the leg spin, they turned around, stepping on their right heel and bringing their left legs up and overhead in a half-turn, before dropping it down heavily. After that, they hopped forward once, kicking their right legs behind them, tucking their arms in for a tight spiral before lashing out with left heel, bringing it down. As they did so, another ripple came off of Seth, while the silvery heeled foot dropped from the sky, in a stomp.

"Sword."

A ripple of air and the demonic Katana was in his hands. In Miri's was a black shadowy mimic of it. They stepped forward, slashing down overhead, before thrusting. Grasping with both hands, they swung diagonally up from the right, then the left, twirled it, then hopped, twisted their bodies counter-clockwise in the air once, before bringing it down. **SHIIIIIINK**

Like against Yuffie, the blood red phantom blade followed Seth's motion; but to their shock, a _second_ phantom blade had appeared, pure black, mimicking Miri's.

* * *

"That's…actually kind of impressive…" Tifa muttered.

As a martial artist, and long-time combatant, she knew the importance of teamwork. And what she was seeing, as Seth and Miri continued their deadly not-dance to the deep beating drums and strange instruments, was a _perfect_ team. Every move Seth did, Miri was doing, at the exact same moment. She has her reservations about the dark skinned wanderer, but her personal feelings aside, she recognizes skill when she sees it. And the way they flowed their moves together, _especially_ with a blade, proved true skill.

"Kairi." Cloud spoke suddenly. The redhead girl turned to him. "How strong is he?"

"Honestly?" she asked. "I can't be certain. His real strength doesn't lie in brute force, but his speed, and deception. His manipulation over gravity is strong enough that he can easily re-arrange the battlefield to his desires, and he likes to employ a defensive aura that reaches just around him, to screw with his opponents. Outside his armor? He'd be able to match any one of us Keyblade users."

Cloud nodded, not taking his eyes off of the duo.

"Inside his armor? Depends on the form. Crow Form is based around speed and maneuverability. I've seen him take on a Centuries old warrior maiden with even more battle experience than all of us combined, and win, because of it. It was less overpowering, and more out-maneuvering, and he will freely admit half the reason he won was because she never fought someone like him before, who uses the _world_ as his weapon."

"The _world_?" Leon asked, now also wanting information on the man who killed, then revived, Yuffie.

Kairi nodded. "Seth uses every aspect of the world around him in battle. If it can offer him an advantage, he'll use it. Because of his power, he can sling things around like a telekinetic. He can make them heavier, or lighter at will. He can create crushing force, strong enough to pulverize bone, enough to twist metal. He can reshape the land around him to fit his desires. And that's before getting into any Armors. Not to mention his Keyblade."

"He has a _Keyblade_?!" Cid blanched. Apparently the older man forgot.

Kairi nodded again. "Yes. And he's very adept with it. He might even know more about it than Aqua does, and she spent the majority of her life training with one. With the Keyblade in his hands, he's even more deadly."

"What's he like?" Aerith asked. "We can't really judge his character because of one event, especially when we know nothing of the circumstances around it."

"Loud." Kairi said.

"Perverted." Naminé blurted out.

"Dangerous." Riku put in.

"Handsome." Came from Alicia. They all turned to her. "What? He is."

"Lonely." Ino spoke quietly, also not taking her eyes off Seth's form. This time they turned to her.

"He's so lonely. As far as we know he's the only survivor of his world. Miri is a new arrival in his life. As are we all. The first thing he remembers about the last few months is being attacked by Xemnas' remnant spirit. Everything that's happened after that, has all been because he was woken up, after thinking he was dead. He's lonely, but loyal. If you've earned his friendship, or his respect, damn anyone who stands against you."

Kairi nodded with Naminé. "He's also cold and ruthless when the time calls for it. But otherwise he's a pretty normal guy. But he hates _people_."

Naminé agreed to that. "Yes. He's also very…_dark_, when things get tense. Because he hates people, humanity as a whole really, he's more than willing to allow an entire town to be destroyed, if it means the few he cares about are safe. But he takes bonds into consideration as well."

"Didn't…you say something about him letting an entire city be destroyed, just for the sake of _one_ death?" Cloud pushed. Ino nodded. But it was Kairi who responded.

"Yes but those were special circumstances. That woman had betrayed him. And that's the fastest way to condemn yourself to an early grave. She had her own level of power, and destroying the city was…almost the only way to make sure she didn't have any method of reviving herself. She was a fool, and he had no qualms in believing she would have some sort of spiritual anchor in the city."

"He usually doesn't like having casualties, especially ones who have no reason to be involved, but…" Naminé trailed off.

"There was a war going on. And that city was filled with people who were threats. Filled." Ino spoke. "He told me a little bit about it…the Keyblade wielders had gone mad with power. The Keyblade itself was appearing in the hands of many, even children. People were being displaced left and right, many were dying with no end in sight. He doesn't like what he allowed to happen, but as far as he's concerned, he did the non-combatants a favor. At least they _died_ a normal death."

"That's…horrible…" Aerith spoke softly.

"He doesn't like humanity. He doesn't like people. He _hates_ them. But he makes exceptions for individuals who prove themselves to not be the idiot sheep of mankind. It's those specific individuals, that he protects, and fights for. People who think for themselves, and not just go along with what the masses say."

Ino finally took her eyes off of Seth and Miri, doing their training. She locked gazes with Cloud.

"Know this, Cloud. He is a being of Chaos. He will destroy as he sees fit, he will create as he sees fit. He is unpredictable at best, random at worst. But even he has his honor, and morals. He is a being of the Immaterial. He works under concepts and ideas that normal people won't even try to fathom. There is _always_ a reason behind anything he does. And if he ever does something that betrays his honor, or his morals, **something** more is going on behind the scenes that nobody knows about. He _truly_ trusts only himself, because only he knows who and what he is. He hates those who hold power, because he knows power corrupts. He doesn't like power, but he will wield it, to keep himself, and the few he loves safe. If you hold _power_, you are a threat to him, but he will not act until he's certain you mean to harm him."

Her eyes seemed to glow, something that Cloud made sure to note.

"If you are a threat to him, he will erase you, and everything tied to you. And with Miri, he has the power to erase entire _worlds_, if the people on it are a big enough threat. He does not control through _fear_, but _certainty of death_. For him, life and death are merely two halves of the same coin. He revels in Destruction, but not Destruction without cause. Destruction for the sake of Creation. Death for the sake of Life. He kills, so others live. So others _don't have to_. He will beat and batter a child, if it means that child learns to defend themselves. He will teach a child to kill, if it means that child will live. He will _kill_ a child, if it means that child will not suffer. He is a monster, and he knows it. But he chooses to be the monster that protects those who aren't."

Kairi and Naminé closed their eyes, seeing flickers of images in their minds. His memories, scattered, frayed…scenes of the war, scenes of death and destruction. Love and hate. Freedom and oppression.

"He will take the hatred of the universe, and focus it upon himself, if it means he can protect that which he cares for. That is who he is. He loves. He loves so much, so _deeply_ that it hurts. And he will **crush** anything that threatens what he loves. Even if he has to become a monster to do it. He knows who he is. He knows himself. And it's because he knows himself, that he can step into the abyss of darkness, and return, the same."

"How…? How do you know all this?" Roxas asked. "You're not linked to him like Kairi is, are you?"

Ino shook her head. "I said it before Roxas. I know because we _spoke_. I learned to listen with my _heart_, not just my ears. And when he spoke, I listened _intently_. He is in so much pain, because he is alone. Miri is the best thing that's happened to him since he woke up. He restored Alicia with the hopes of having someone to back him, but knew that was far too selfish a desire to keep. So he gave her the choice to choose her path. He gave her life again, but discarded his intentions, because they were _wrong_. And he knew it. If that doesn't speak _volumes_ of his true character, I don't know what does."

* * *

Kick to head, kick to side, pivot, thrust kick, leg _drop_. **THOOSH**

Palm thrust, palm thrust, jab, right hook, left hook, right hook, jump, spin kick, thrust punch. **THOOSH**

Knee lift, leg extension, low sweep, rising thrust kick. **THOOSH**

Neck chop, elbow thrust, low sweep, uppercut, punch-punch-punch-punch-_**punch.**_ **THOOSH**

**(Song End.)**

The two stood there, Seth panting lightly, Miri making no noise.

"Alright…that's good for now." Both Seth and Miri relaxed their stances. Seth turned to the little girl, flashing her a smile.

"Good work. You matched me nicely. Didn't think you'd manage but you've proved me wrong yet again. I'm proud."

She gave a small smile of her own, nodding.

"How do you feel?"

"…good…" came the quiet reply, to _everyone's _shock, save for Seth. He just smiled and nodded.

"A workout like that tends to have that result."

Miri nodded, before looking down at herself. She quirked her mouth oddly, as if dissatisfied with something about herself. She rose her head, matching eyes with his.

"…sticky…" she said.

Seth nodded. "Yeah, I'm not surprised. I've got a water Materia round here somewhere. Quick rinse? Won't be as good as the bath but it'll help a little."

She nodded back.

The others started stepping forward. Aerith opened her mouth to speak but cut herself off as she watched Miri unzip her cloak and throw it to the side. Like just before they fused into the Heartless Form, Miri stood stark naked, not a care in the world. Seth returned from the side of the hall, holding a green sphere. He either didn't notice the group staring at the two or, - as Ino, Kairi and Naminé suspected – he simply didn't care to acknowledge their presence at the moment.

"Ready?"

Miri nodded.

The Materia in Seth's hand began to shine. He closed his eyes as he let the power of the crystal flow through him. Information of the concept of Materia briefly rose in a section of his mind, as the rest of it formed the image of what he wanted it to take.

_**Materia is crystallized planetary energy. The very essence of the planet contained in a small, round gem. The planet's life-blood flows through each and every crystal, the memories of the planet racing through them. Similar in essence to a Gaia Memory, a Materia crystal could be considered a naturally forming Gaia Memory. Each Materia holds an idea, a concept, that exists within the planet. The memories are formed from the souls of those who have lived and died on the surface, passing through the planet's core as they cycle through life, death, and rebirth. This flow of souls, in some worlds, is known as 'Lifestream'. To the beholder of the naked eye, it appears as a vivid green hue'd ocean of mess.**_

_**To have direct contact with the Lifestream is to risk one's soul being pulled from its earthly binds. The human mind isn't built to withstand the sheer conceptual force of the Blood of the Planet, in which the memories of the Planet itself are held. A being with a strong enough will can resist the flow, or even direct some of it, and only one born with a connection to the Core of the planet can fully **__**control**__** the Lifestream.**_

_**Materia are crystallized excess energies of the Lifestream. This excess energy is known as Mako. Overexposure to this energy is known as Mako Poisoning. Effects vary, from mutations, to superpowers. Materia requires no natural ability for magic, and can be 'equipped' either in parts of the body for direct effects, or to sections of armor or weaponry. The color of Materia determines the type, the 'form' contained within determines its particular power. Some act as conduits for health, others debilitate, others destroy, and others simply allow the body to perform actions that it normally cannot.**_

_**This particular Materia is called 'Water'. It gives the wielder control over the concept of Water, though to a limited scale. There is 'Ice' Materia which gives control over ice and cold, but not the water that makes it.**_

* * *

The air around Miri grew dense with moisture. She closed her eyes and relaxed, as suddenly her body was encased in a 'shell' of spiraling water. Seth was tempering the Materia's effects with his own power, creating a similar pressure sensation to last night's bath. The water was surprisingly warm, she expected it to be cold, but this further proved Seth's natural mastery over immaterial forces. With a bit of effort, she rose her arms slightly, spreading her legs as well, both to balance her weight and brace against the pressure, as well as to allow the currents easier access to her inner thighs.

As Seth explained, sweat and grime accumulated generally everywhere. And being that her human form seemed to share most of the functions of a normal human, it was required just the same for her to take general care of it, even if all the negative effects didn't apply to her. Both of them were in uncharted waters with her human form, and while Seth was a male, and had different externals and internals than she did, he'd been with, cared for, and experienced the female human form in multiple ways, at multiple times during his life. While not an expert on it in the slightest, especially compared to a woman of his own age who had lived in a female body for the same length of time, he knew more than she did.

It was far easier just to let him take the lead in such matters. As the waters seemed to compress around her, as if trying to gently 'scrub' her body, she thought about some of the other things that human females had to deal with. She'd done a bit of prodding, after she woke, descending into her own consciousness to check a few things, even going as far as to have a Neo Shadow shove its hand through her pelvis to get a general feel of things – which felt decidedly odd and not very pleasant, she added – and to check if some of his warnings would hold for her.

As far as she knew, her insides only _mimicked_ that of a human's. She was missing some of the key components of a human form, such as waste removal tracts, a…stomach at all, lungs and a physical beating heart. She _was_ a being of shadow, after all. It would seem her form was primarily a construct of Darkness, mimicking that of a human's, with some of the required human traits and physical components, but as far as she knew, she had no reproductive or waste compressive and removal system.

Which she found good. It wouldn't do to be disabled by rampant emotions at any point. And menstrual cycles sounded vastly bothersome. While he never had to deal with one, he traveled with three women, prior to his unconsciousness, and planet's end. And apparently they _synchronize_! That information astounded her. Humans were capable of physical synchronicity without want or desire to. It just happened! She almost wished she could experience this phenomenon, but from the sounds of his explanations about the side effects, and general mood surrounding the concept, the irritants and downsides far outnumbered the benefits of such research.

Pity. She _loved_ learning new things…

Still…she gave an internal frown. She came to the realization that with every heart she consumed, she became more and more human. She hadn't told Seth this yet, however. She planned on doing so the next time they were alone for a long enough period of time for one of their 'talks'. Despite her love of learning and desire to understand the concept of 'human', she had no interest in simply consuming hearts to further herself along the path of Humanity. She long since lost her hunger and drive for them, as if it was now…gone. She would still consume one, if he asked it of her, or if it was just _there_ to be grabbed. After all, better her doing it than one of those blasted Emblems. But otherwise…she had no interest in others' hearts.

Why get one of theirs…when she could craft her own?

But yet…even that thought didn't sit well with her. As for another thing, every heart she consumed…she felt something growing within her mind. As if it were a _memory_. But a memory of what? It was too hazy, though some of the things he'd taught her stuck in her mind instantly, as if she'd just forgotten them. Honestly, it bothered her. But she needed to learn a few more things before she brought her findings to him. He'd admit he wasn't an expert on the Emotional Core known as the Heart.

* * *

The water burst away from her with a loud splash. She opened her eyes, blinking them rapidly as the droplets cascaded down her body. A normal person would have shivered at the cool air in the Hall, but she simply stood there, ignoring her body's natural reactions. Seth pocketed the Materia and strode over to her. Again, Aerith was going to say something, about to ask if he needed a towel or cloth or _something_, but again she was cut off before she could start, by the man simply acting.

As he got closer to Miri, he clenched his hands into fists, before violently twitching his arms. As if commanded, a deep haze appeared vibrating around his hands. He seemed to glare at them for a moment, before shaking his head and rolling his shoulders. Without needing to say a word, Miri lifted her arms slightly, as if to move them out of the way, while he knelt to her. Starting at her feet, he held his hands just inches from her skin, the haze getting denser. Slowly, he trailed the very soft curves of her legs, up past her hips, along her waist, over her torso and past her head, where she'd lift her arms up. To everyone's surprise, as he did so, they could _see_ the moisture being pulled off the girl, until it was a small pool between his palms, where he rapidly flicked his fingers, _shattering_ the water into particles.

_Huh…that's a neat trick._ Ino thought to herself.

"H-how'd he do that…?" a blonde woman, distanced away from both groups muttered to herself.

"Gravity." Spoke Ino, Kairi and Naminé at once. The blonde woman flinched and tried to glare at them, but it was half-hearted at best.

They watched Miri reach out and push him back. He blinked, faltering before landing on his rear. Miri gave a soft giggle, before lifting her arms, the air around her becoming dense with shadows, forming into a new cloak. She smiled and abruptly sat down, with her back to his chest, grabbing his arms and wrapping them around her, sighing in content. Ino took that as a cue. Gently she pushed past Cloud and the others, before approaching. Miri looked up at the girl. Their eyes met, and Ino stopped where she was, waiting.

Seth said nothing, allowing Miri to control the situation. The platinum haired child and her golden eyes stared down the blue-eyed teen. Ino relaxed herself, not holding any emotions back, letting her heart be open for the strange child to see. Ino knew, even if Seth accepted her again, if Miri didn't, she'd be rejected by Seth. She didn't know _how_ she knew, maybe it was because of how they interact with one another, almost like an elder brother with his sister, or a father and his child. But she knew, if Miri didn't approve, neither would he.

And she so _desperately_ wanted him to approve of her.

"…come…"

Ino blinked. She stepped forward once, but the stare of the girl told her to get a move on.

"…sit…"

A little wary, Ino sat down in front of Miri, who was in Seth's lap. Miri continued to stare.

"…turn…"

Now _very_ confused, she scoot herself so she was facing away from Seth and the child. And suddenly felt a pair of small hands grab her shoulders and yank her backward. Fighting off panic, she let gravity do its thing, finding her head in _Miri's_ lap, the little girl's arms wrapped just underneath Ino's breasts. The black haired once-replica flushed slightly at the contact, but pushed all emotions away, focusing on relaxing.

It was _then_ that she felt something flow through her. Sensations that weren't hers. The feelings gave way to phantom images in her heart. But there was one prevailing sensation. _Acceptance_.

Miri was allowing Ino an intimate position with herself, the same way Miri herself was in one with Seth. Through Miri, she could feel something, something at the edge of her perceptions, and upon seeking it out, she understood.

_Love_.

Miri was channeling Seth's tightly controlled love, through herself, into Ino. _How_ was unknown, and at the moment Ino didn't care. She was _loved_ by someone. She knew she was loved by Roxas, and that was what had kept her going for the longest time. But to know that _he_ loved her, even through her betrayal…

Though tears slid down her face, she smiled. _This _was what being connected to people was about. _This_ is what it meant to share emotions. With the rest of the group, Kairi herself had to wipe away a few tears. She too was getting the overwhelming sensation of being _loved_. But even so…Kairi noticed something _odd_ about it. It wasn't fake. But it wasn't…entirely there. Like there was some part of it missing. Something inside her twitched, as she _swore_ she heard someone give a loud scoff, but nobody around her even showed any signs of it.

Seth looked down at Miri, and then at Ino, and then back to Miri.

"Yer fuckin weird."

Miri just grinned at him, sticking out her tongue. Seth shook his head.

"Alright you lot. Grab seats and let's get this show on the road. I got shit to do today."

* * *

**A/N: **Anti-Kairi emerges! And she says "fuck you" to clothing! My kind of girl. More about Anti-Kairi, and possibly even a 'name' for her, will appear next chapter, as it's the designated "shit gets talked out" chapter. Was supposed to be _this_ one but...meh, fuck it.

And to those thinking that such a dichotomy with Kairi is impossible, OOC or stupid, let me remind you that people grow up feeling, thinking and believing certain things their entire lives. And then sometimes, things happen. A discovery of religion, meeting new people they desperately want to get along with, wanting to appease someone...things happen that cause them to grasp their old self and beat the shit out of it. Most of the time it's **not** for the better.

People can and will abruptly change themselves, and most of the time it's not for a positive reason. What Kairi did, and continued to do, is actually a quite normal and unfortunately logical reaction upon finding out she's special. She's not Sora, who is secure enough in himself that such a revelation wouldnt change much. Even Riku did something similar to her.

Kairi doing so, also explains why her Anti-Form, though tempered by Seth's personality since she was basically 'conceived' inside Seth's heart, is and will continue to be, constantly trying to get in his pants.

Now for anyone thinking of bitching about Kairi's Anti-Form _period_, I shall remind you all that Kairi's driver works differently than Sora's Drive Forms. Kairi's Driver essentially mimics Sora's Drive abilities, and applies them to Kairi, which is why her Wisdom Form looks drastically different. Her Anti-Form is literally _her_, only "unlocked" so to speak. But again, more explained next chapter.

And yes, the Hair Fists and Hair Dragon were taken right out of Bayonetta. Seriously that is an amazing game. fun as hell.

**GodofLazors:** I'm glad you like it so far. Hitting a bit of a writer's block snag but i think i might be able to plow through it soon. hope things continue to live up to your expectations!


	11. Comprehension

_**I come from a world that was touched by the Keyblade.**_

_**Originally, we held little in the ways of mystical arts. Things like magic, telepathy, reality distortion…they were believed in, but only in pockets. Our technology did what it could, but we had many limitations.**_

_**But then one day, the world shook.**_

_**We never figured out what it was. Was it in response to a great need? Was it because the human race had lasted long enough? Or perhaps someone finally succeeded in performing some sort of distorting ritual that changed the fabric of our reality? We never learned what caused it. But one day, the Keyblade appeared. At first, it was rare. It appeared in the hands of certain beings, during times of immense emotional duress. A need to survive, a need to continue.**_

_**But over time, more and more people began receiving it. Eventually, our way of combat, of contact, changed. Our way of life was distorted. Through the Keyblade, the manifested Light of the Heart, magic was now capable. The elements were bent by the will. People studied the Keyblade, how it worked, how it altered the reality around its wielder. They didn't get many answers, but it didn't matter.**_

_**As if its appearance was a catalyst, the world changed further. People were finding themselves exhibiting powers beyond the norm. Abilities that made them stronger than the average person. Finding skills to bend fire, breath earth, fly in water, make solid the air…impossibilities. But they became real. Our reality was shattered, our way of life changed. There was more convenience now. But there was also more strife.**_

_**Soon, people wished to control the Keyblade. Those without it became jealous, fearful, angry. Some wanted it, some wanted it gone, others simply didn't care either way.**_

_**And then the Wars started.**_

_**As the Keyblade became more and more commonplace, theft, assassination, battle, occurred more than ever before. Soon, hatred, fear, greed, desperation, desire, envy...love…all of these feelings became prevalent in the world. And the Keyblade fed off of them. More and more people were given the Keyblade. To the point where life was falling apart. Fathers, jealous of the power, raping daughters in a sick attempt to tarnish their souls, banish that Keyblade, for if they couldn't have it then nobody could. Mothers suffocating sons upon the Keyblade manifesting, out of fear that their child would be persecuted and hunted. Better for their child to be dead at their own hands, than at the hands of some stranger, was the thought.**_

_**Children killing adults, adults killing children, children killing children…be it for power, for greed, for their lives…it didn't matter. Death and destruction was commonplace. It was simple to step outside a building and see glittering crystals fluttering through the air, as the freshly removed Hearts of the slain were expelled. It was common, to see someone tap their Keyblade against a door, the door swing open, screams to come from houses, and that person walk out, arms full of valuables.**_

_**And it was just as common to see many, protecting groups of others, some with Keyblades, some without. Entire buildings covered in seals, magical barriers, defensive turrets, powerful arrays, created to protect those who had been displaced by the wars. Conventional weaponry quickly became useless. The Keyblade allowed the bending of the fabric of reality, bullets alone would not stop a wielder. Wounds could be healed in seconds, death itself could be defied by a wielder. The only things that could stand up to Keyblade wielders were powerful mages, specifically created blades, and other Keyblade wielders.**_

_**The world fell to anarchy and chaos. And during that time, I met my three most cherished people. They all had Keyblades, but they all met me long before theirs awoke. They were my most important people, the only people in the world I could count on, especially since my own powers were not as strong. I had no Keyblade, and my own element was weak. I watched them die, one by one, to other Keyblade wielders. I watched them die, one by one, protecting the rest of us.**_

_**I watched them all die, leaving me alone.**_

_**But I wasn't alone for long. Not long after my Apprentice perished…the world collapsed.**_

_**And when I woke up, it was to some asshole sticking his arm through my chest.**_

**Kingdom Hearts Re: Order**

**Chapter X: **_**Comprehension**_

They all sat, horrified. Kairi was openly sobbing into Sora's chest, with Naminé being comforted by Roxas. The reason for that, being that as he spoke, they saw images related to his tale, felt the emotions he felt during those moments.

"I'm…sorry I asked…" Tifa said. She was the one to pose the question asking who the hell he was, what his deal was.

"You aren't…sad at all?" Cloud asked, barely breaking his monotone. Seth responded by pointing with both hands, to Kairi and Naminé.

"See those two?" Cloud glanced at them. "Naminé's gotten every bit of info Red has. And Red's still linked to me. I'm so messed up by it all that I barely even notice it anymore. Them though? I dunno about the Wave but I know Red's getting stuff I can't hold back. It's been a _long_ time since I bothered crying. Figure, at least it's going somewhere. Thanks for that by the way, Red."

She just kept sobbing but nodded, waving her hand at him in a shooing motion. He understood what she was trying to say.

"Why is that, by the way?" Aerith asked, not sure if she should be helping Sora comfort the redhead.

"Said asshole was the remains of Xemnas, who Sora and Riku defeated but epically _failed_ to erase. I was apparently in some dark corridor in some kind of coma – don't ask, I don't know how or why – and he decided that he was going to hijack my unconscious body and use it as his own. Well, he did, but I was able to follow him, where I tried to jump_ him_ and get my body back, but Red over there had nailed him with a very delicious dropkick and knocked him out of the way."

Many were blinking at how he described it, while Kairi gave a sharp laugh through her tears.

"So there I was thinking I'd get my body back and instead I'm finding myself in control of a very tightly wound redhead with nice perky tits and a pert ass that I'm going to kick if she keeps trying to mentally glare my head off." He stated, turning his gaze upon Kairi, who was now clutching Sora very tightly. She pulled away from the brunette and growled.

"One of these days Seth…"

And then suddenly She, Naminé and Seth all spoke at the same time. _**"Bang! Zoom! Straight to Not-Spain!"**_

Kairi just sighed, at Naminé's giggle and Seth's shit-eating grin. She shook her head, blushing slightly.

"I know what you know. You know that I know what you know. And I know that you know that I know what you know. You're a hundred years too early to be trying to out-predict me, Red. Even if you've got some of my head in yours."

"Anyway." He continued, as if the last exchange never happened. "After kicking him around a bit cause even with a sudden pair of tits to deal with I still know my way around in a scrap and Mansex wasn't expecting Kairi to suddenly know how to kick ass, I managed to kick him out of my body, and put me back in it. Side effect is, because my heart and her heart shared the same conceptual space, we were pretty much one person for a little while. And when we split back into two, because our hearts once shared frequencies, we have been forever linked."

"Conceptual…space?" Yuffie muttered.

"A literal 'space' of 'concept'. Think of it as…the 'location' where everything that makes 'Yuffie Kisaragi' exist, resides. Every single thing that makes you, you, is contained in that spot. The very idea of your existence."

She blinked. And then nodded. "I…think I get it now. So because your hearts were in the same imaginary spot, you two are linked?"

Seth nodded. "Exactly. The connection is through our hearts, and not our minds, so it's not like we can share thoughts or something. Or she'd probably never stop blushing."

Kairi sighed. "Yeah, probably."

"What does that do? I mean, what does it mean?" Tifa pressed.

"We can sense when the other is near. If one of us, - mostly me right now – is feeling a particularly powerful emotion or bout of will, our hearts will start racing, the closer proximity to one another we are. To the point where, if our wills are at odds, or in any sense, clashing, you'll be able to tell by these weird red lines coming from our hearts, following our veins. Whomever's will is stronger, will begin subverting the other's. Meaning say I'm focused on something, and Red isn't, and Red's instinctively trying to fight my will, she'll start feeling weaker and tired. As she as a concept gets stronger, that weakness will become lesser and lesser, until she's able to stand it without any adverse effects."

Kairi nodded. "It was really annoying at first, because if he was nearby, and doing anything other than being relaxed, I'd…barely be able to do much of anything. But I've gotten stronger since then, so now it's less of a reaction."

"Also, because of this connection, if we touch in some way, and one of us has the will to, our hearts will start beating as one. In that synchronized state, we can exchange information without needing words. Kairi's used this to glean things about me that would have taken forever to explain, as well as learn some instincts and battle tactics. And I've used it to learn things I needed to know about her, and the Keyblade that I didn't before."

"And Riku still thinks it's just an excuse to feel me up." Kairi huffed.

"Pfft, as if I need an excuse to do that."

Kairi rolled his eyes, knowing what he meant. But to avoid any awkward questions, she continued on.

"The downsides are, whoever's got the stronger overall will, starts implanting some of their personal traits onto the other. To the point where if one side forever dominates, the other will become an essential copy of that person. Thankfully…Seth is a _wonderful_ Master." Kairi spoke with a bit of…_something_ in her voice. Before she blinked rapidly.

"…wait what?"

Even Seth was looking at her funny.

"…dafuq'd that come from?"

Kairi blinked again. "I…I don't know! It just…came out! I was just thinking that I was lucky that you naturally aren't the domineering type and I just…_wanted you to know what a kind and sweet Master you are_." She explained, again vocal tone turning slightly higher pitched with an almost…longing waiver to it. Her cheeks flushed as she realized it happened _again_.

Leon stared and then turned a glare to Seth. "What are you doing?!"

"Fuck off! It's not me! I can't do that to her! That's not how it works! It's a bleed-off thing. She gets vague traits of mine, bled into her own. It's gradual, and only picks up if I'm _pushing_ but even _then_. The way it changes a person is to bring them around to that person's way of thinking and living. She's gotten a bunch of what I know and felt, and she's definitely started exhibiting some of my traits and tics but _that_ isn't something from me!"

Kairi shook her head. "Ok…this is completely not relevant to anything anymore. Can we move on?"

"Gladly."

"What do you know about what happened Yesterday? With that…Ansem…clone…thing." Yuffie asked.

"Ahh…yeah…yeah that's kinda big. And also a problem. And to answer your question, a bit, but not enough."

He wiggled a bit to adjust his position on the wall. Miri looked up at him. "I'm fine Miri, just had to shift a bit." She nodded.

"Anyway. That…ok…As I said, that thing was something that was impossible."

"Why?!" Leon spat.

"Because that thing was a **Gaia Memory**, and it shouldn't have existed."

"Why shouldn't it if you know about it?!"

"Because I only made _thirteen_ of those fuckers and _that_ wasn't one of them."

That shut Leon up. "…what?"

"Ok, let me break it down for you. A Gaia Memory is a small device that contains _every_ scrap of information on a concept. Life, Death, Love, Hate, Time, Sweets, Space, Food, Weather…anything you can think of, a Gaia Memory, if it existed, would contain _every_ piece of knowledge about that. Even shit nobody knows or remembers. Because it's literally a mechanized condensation of a Planet's Memory of what was once upon its surface."

"Sounds like a Materia." Aerith spoke.

"Kinda, but different in that Materia is naturally growing from excess energy condensed into crystals. A Gaia Memory requires a human hand to create. Plus, there are restrictions in using it, unlike Materia. A Gaia Memory requires a certain Synchronicity level between the Memory, and the person who's trying to use it. The stronger the level, the more power can be drawn out from the Memory. However, usually in order to _use_ a Gaia Memory, you have to use a special device to basically tattoo an installation port upon the body. And even then, it only allows connectivity with that particular memory. It's _possible_ to use a Gaia Memory without that connector port, but doing so has an extremely high chance of injury."

"Then why-

Seth cut Leon off.

"Let me finish. There's a second class of Gaia Memory that exists. And this is what I think that…and something I found on Wonderland was. This second class allows the use of a Gaia Memory _without_ a port, because it only activates for the person that has a one-hundred percent Synchro rating with it. It then _makes_ a temporary port."

"What happened to the ones you made then?"

"Ino."

"Yes?"

"No. I mean Ino _is_ what happened."

That caused everyone to pause.

"…Wait…but…" Roxas tried to figure it out.

"I'll make this brief. Ino was once known as Xion, the _Fourteenth_ member of Organization Thirteen. You all remember them, right?"

"Fourteenth?!" Sora yelped.

"Yes, but she wasn't _normal_. Ok, lemme rephrase that. She was even more _abnormal_ than Roxas or Naminé."

"…ouch…" Naminé muttered.

"Sorry Wave."

"No…no it's the truth…"

"Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. But I'll move on for now."

"Thank you." She said softly.

"Xion wasn't 'born' or 'made' the way a Nobody normally is. She was created as a clone. A clone of Roxas, who is Sora's nobody. Mansex, also known as Xemnas, decided he wanted to have backups of backups, and created Xion to leech off of Roxas' existence until only Xion remained. But what he didn't count on was Xion forming ties with Roxas and later Axel, that forced her to grow into an actual person, with will and drive and desires of her own. She learned her continued existence would be the end of Roxas, which would then be the end of _Sora_, so she went and forced Roxas into a battle that she lost, and died in. The cost was all knowledge of her existence being wiped."

Ino bowed her head, tearing up.

"Everyone, even the _worlds_ forgot about her. But…there was one thing that changed. She forged herself a heart. It was small, it was weak, but it was there. Her memories remained, her will remained, her _existence_ remained. So as she returned to Sora's heart, she ended up creating her own space within it, buried deep down, to a point that not even Roxas could reach, after he'd returned to Sora."

"…wait." Ino spoke, tears stopping suddenly. "…why…why do I get the feeling you're about to tell me something crazy?"

Seth grinned. "Cause I probably am."

She whirled around. "You figured out how you met me?!" She said frantically.

"I've got a running theory."

She nodded rapidly.

"Ok, the way I see it is, Kairi is connected to Sora. Has been since Ansem dicked around with things. But that connection was weak. Weak, but it was still there. I'm thinking, because I linked so _completely_ to Kairi, I could ride that link to Sora. And that's what _happened_."

"…you…you ended up going so deep into Kairi's heart…that you rode her connection to Sora…and got pulled deep into _his _heart…where you ran into me…?"

"Aye. That's my theory. You were conscious, and active in his heart, but in your own little pocket, away from everything else. My consciousness appeared in your little Marble, because it went _too_ deep. It was still re-forging connections to my own body, and trying to compensate for now being linked to Kairi."

"And instead, it _overcompensated_ and you ended up in Sora's heart, where I was. And…and…because that place…was a manifestation of **my** heart…"

"That's why I could come back, almost at will. And why I could bring _Miri_ with me."

"Because now…someone acknowledged it as an actual _space_. One that could be travelled to…"

"I think that's also why you woke up drenched that one time…"

Ino flushed heavily as her head snapped to Seth. "_What?!_"

He nodded. "Yeah. Think about it. You were in Sora's heart. Sora's heart that is connected to _Kairi's_."

Realization dawned upon her. "So…because I was in Sora's heart…and because his heart is connected to Kairi's…and because their hearts were _resonating_…"

"Lose all cognitive ability and motor functions, end up riding a really good orgasm, brought to you by two extremely horny teenagers. Combined."

Sora flushed. Kairi's eyes widened and her face looked as red as a tomato. Ino was blushing as well but she was shaking it off.

"So I wasn't in danger of fading…" She whispered to herself.

"Nope. Your own heart was so fresh and weak at the time that it was easily overwhelmed by two sources of powerful emotion. That also goes to show how _deep_ Kairi got into Sora."

Roxas couldn't help but notice the embarrassment Seth was putting Sora through.

So like any good brother-figure, he added to it.

"Shouldn't that be the other way around?" he quipped.

Seth did nothing more except stare right at Kairi. "Oh, I think my statement was _quite_ apt."

Cue middle finger from the Princess of Heart.

"Anyway, this ties into another question I'm sure you have: Why I did all the things I did to get the Life Materia. (Cue nods and some glares.) The answer to that, is also, Ino. Because I was dealing with something that was mind-fuckish even by my standards, I decided to try skipping all the bullshit and going right to the source. I thought, originally, that maybe I'd be able to find some scrap, some _piece_ of her. A footprint, a strand of hair, a glob of spit, _anything_. But no, she was erased almost completely. To the point where only she knew she existed."

Again, Ino looked down, feeling sad, remembering the loneliness. A small pair of arms wrapped around her torso squeezing her gently brought her out of it. The soft gaze of Miri brought her out of her building depression.

"Since I couldn't find jack shit, I started looking for a way to bring things into existence. I got a tip from someone that there existed a gem that had the power to bring life to the lifeless. I thought, if I could get that, then maybe I could do something to stretch its concept further, and bring life to that which didn't exist."

"And you attacked us, to get the Life Materia, so you could bring her back? Why didn't you just-

"He already explained that." Yuffie cut Aerith off. "He told us yesterday, well, more like me, but I know you all heard him. He knew he wouldn't be able to get one of our most powerful and useful Materia without conflict, especially since he couldn't tell us _why_ he needed it."

Seth nodded. "Which is why I used that little experimental fusion to do it. I also didn't want it getting out _who_ was doing the attacking. Honestly, I didn't really plan on coming back here, but then I had to Break a Gaia Memory copy of a very _massive _asshole, and realized I was once again, in over my head. But regardless, with the Life Materia, my knowledge of Xion's existence, thirteen Gaia Memories drawn from the battle data of the Organization, and Xion's own write-up of who she wished to be, I figured I had enough to maybe _barely_ forge an existence."

"Wait…The thirteen Gaia Memories you made were of the Organization?!" Ienzo questioned.

"There's a hidden room here, where I'm guessing Xemnas stored all data about the Organization member's combat prowess. In this room, are thirteen chambers that house data copies of the thirteen Organization members, each one programmed to go all out, no holds barred, full power on whoever enters. I'm guessing it was either to be a defense mechanism, a backup plan, or just a training room. But anyway, I was able to take that data, house it in Gaia Memories, and used those along with the other pieces, fueled by the Life Materia, to bring Xion back to life, as Ino."

"…is that…why it felt like our bodies were being torn apart?" Ienzo queried further.

"Eh?"

"About a week or so ago…maybe a bit more…" Roxas began. "Lea told me that around then, it felt like his head was about to split open…like someone was trying to tear his heart out of his chest…"

"Hey wait, around then is when you all had that light come off of you!" Aqua spoke to the Island Trio.

"Oh…oh yeah…before…before Naminé was…" Kairi muttered.

"I…could hear it…" Ino whispered, catching everyone's attention. "I could _feel_ the screams…I could _taste_ the pain…and the world around me started to crumble. It…hurt. It hurt so much…but I needed to be _real_ again…" She looked back, to Seth. "Since I woke up, I…_knew_ things. Things about…stuff I never learned before. Things that only _they_ knew. But…it only had things to do with how to act during a fight. So many different ways…but it's all quiet. There…but not loud…"

Seth nodded. "I suppose…that…maybe the Gaia Memories reached out to their original selves…and forcefully unlocked everyone's memories of Xion. I mean…I'll admit I was a little worried for a bit, while it was happening. They were…overloaded. The Gaia Memories weren't designed to be pushed that far, or maybe I screwed up somewhere, I don't know. But…I guess you absorbed all that data into yourself, as you were being re-forged. We'll have to test that…"

Ino nodded.

"Is that…how you made Naminé real again…?" Kairi asked.

Seth held his hand and teetered it. "Kinda. I didn't use any Gaia Memories. I just had Miri forcefully separate 'Naminé' from 'Kairi' and pull 'Naminé' out, condensing her essence into a crystal. Since Naminé was both an Observed existence, a continued physical presence, as well as a continued _acknowledged_ one, it was easier than bringing Ino back, to make a body for Naminé."

"…Why though?" Kairi asked. "Why go through the trouble?"

"I guess it was supposed to be a gift." Was his answer.

Kairi stared at him, running her knowledge of him through her head, trying to figure out _why_. And then it clicked.

"…so I could have my own Life." She said.

Seth nodded. "You've already got me connected to your heart, and that's one mostly unwanted connection. Then you've got Sora, who's wanted. To have Naminé in there as well, as an actual presence? One that could interfere and maybe even take over?" Kairi nodded.

"Plus, Naminé deserved a chance to be her own person as well. I can only imagine what it must have been like to exist, find out you're not a 'real' person, and then find yourself fading back into who you were 'born' from. With this, Naminé is her own flesh and blood being, with her own existence, heart, and will. She is now a completely separate existence from 'Kairi', rather than being some partial fragment."

"Doesn't explain why she attacked her though." Riku bitched.

"Jealousy. Irritation. Loneliness. _Hatred_. Take your pick Riku." Naminé retorted, tonelessly. "Do you have any idea what it's like to constantly be told you aren't even _real_? To have _proof_ that everyone was right? Do you know what it's like to have been _used_ from the moment you were 'born' by people who were dicking around with things they shouldn't have been? To be treated like a pointless _doll_ meant for only one thing? You _know_ what I did, and you know I only _partially_ regret messing with Sora's memories like that. Because even though I was taking _someone else's _place in his heart, for me, it meant I was _wanted_ by someone. And then to _know_ that it was _wrong_, and to break that connection, to become _unwanted_ again, to go _back_ to being some dickhead's _puppet_!"

_Why do I even speak anymore? I just keep pissing the girls off…_ Riku thought to himself.

"And then there's _Kairi_. _Everyone_ loves Kairi. And she _fucking_ earned that! But it didn't change the fact that I _hated_ her for having what I didn't! And even though I knew she needed me to be complete it still didn't feel _right_ to me! To know that my own existence was meaningless in the end, because all I was, was a missing fragment of someone else! None of my experiences or thoughts or wants or _wishes_ meant _jack shit!_ And I know for a _fact_ that even when I started talking to her again, after thinking I'd just fade away into nothing, after thinking I was going to _die __**completely**_; not _once_ did any of you even fathom of thinking of a way to split us!"

Sora, Riku and Kairi all looked guilty at that.

"I fought you, Kairi. Because I needed to get all that festering hatred, _out_. Before you all showed up, Seth explained it to me: for the longest time I was little more than a being of pure Emotion. I had no outlet because I had no true _self_. But now, now that I was _real_ again, I could choose my own path. I could _get_ that aggression out. Clear the air, so to speak. And…I needed it."

Kairi nodded, going over and hugging the blonde. "I understand, Naminé. I was a little…pissed with you…but I was mostly confused. You sure kicked my butt though."

Naminé gave a half-grin. "Can blame Seth for that…I was paying a _lot_ of attention to how to fight whenever we connected to him."

"How'd you get a Driver like Kairi's though?" Sora asked.

"Because Naminé was originally a Shadow created by Kairi's light." Seth stepped back into the conversation.

"Eh?"

"Naminé was Kairi's original Anti-Existence, created by her immense light. But she was _born_ from Sora sacrificing himself. Jury's still out on _why_ but at this point it might not matter. Since Naminé and Kairi shared existences, on a more permanent level than I did, she got a sort of _copy_ of the Driver that I gave Kairi. Because what I did, was give Kairi a resonant frequency inside her internal magical core, that would draw forth power based on her heart and imagination. But because Naminé was also inside Kairi's heart at the time, Naminé got a lesser version of it.

Kairi's driver took the form of the ability to mimic Sora's transformations. Naminé's driver can only focus on one transformation, but that one transformation wields powers linked to Sora's bonds at the time of Naminé's encounter with him. Naminé's Limit Form is based off of Sora's, which apparently throws his abilities back to the days of fighting against Ansem. But Naminé's Limit Form is also based off of her _own_ powers, which is to fuck with people's heart-links, as long as they're connected to Sora."

"Which is why she could use other people's abilities through those cards!" Sora exclaimed.

"Castle Oblivion used a strange interference field that caused everything, from weapons to memories, to be encased in Cards." Naminé explained. "Spells, powers, abilities, swords…everything was contained within a card. The Driver…draws from our hearts, and grants changes based on our imaginations. I guess that's why mine works off of cards based off of Sora's memories."

"And with it, came your own Keyblade." Seth added.

* * *

_Why does it always end up like this? It's like the Greater World just wants to prove Seth is some level of Evil._

Ino sat, a mildly cute frown on her face. She was irritated, greatly. Ever since returning her to Reality, it seemed like _someone_ was constantly keeping her from spending time with her new best friend, and crush. On top of which, said unknown entity continuously forced events to occur that made her new best friend seem like a great threat. She watched Kairi nurse her aching back, absently reaching back in reaction to a phantom twinge. She recalled her own impact with a solid wall, not too long ago.

Turning her eyes, she gave a half-glare towards the reason of her thoughts. Not half an hour ago, while Seth was walking around to stretch and get a bottle of water, two mouse people, a duck and a dog-man walked through the doors of the Gathering Hall. They were introduced as King Mickey and Queen Minnie, rulers of Disney Castle and staunch defenders of the Light Realm, along with Donald Duck, the Court Wizard, and Goofy Goof, Captain of the Royal Guard.

Sora was most pleased to see the group, more specifically Donald and Goofy, whom had accompanied him during his travels prior. She knew of them, from what she absorbed before her untimely erasure, and felt twinges of desire to greet them as well, but fought the phantom emotion away. Those weren't her own emotions. They were memories of a feeling belonging to someone else. Still, at the time she'd given a small smile, for she and Roxas both knew first-hand how much the teen cherished those two.

Of course…friendly good times can never seem to last if Seth is present. She sighed, running the last half hour through her mind, trying to see…well, anything, that might help make him _not_ seem like he's insane…well…_more_ insane.

* * *

**-HALF HOUR PRIOR-**

While Mickey was catching up with the boys, giving time before he confronted and apologized to Seth, who was expressly ignoring the King's presence and instead speaking with Yuffie about something, Minnie had decided to speak with the little girl sitting off in a corner, gazing at everyone with a blank – yet at the same time – calculating look. Of course, if she had known what was to come, she'd have left the girl well enough alone, if not stayed far away from Radiant Garden proper.

The moment the Queen's hand touched the girl's arm – to try to get her attention, you see – there was a soft sizzling sound. The girl's eyes widened just as she violently flinched backwards, mouth opening in an ear-piercing _screech_ of unmistakable agony. Stunned by the reaction, Minnie could do nothing but stand there as the girl fell backward, clutching her arm, wailing. Upon seeing the girl fall, Minnie – being a practitioner of the White Arts; magic focused on the element of Light and slanted more towards healing and rejuvenation – stepped forward to try to see the unexpected wound. Miri, being no fool, knew what the cause of her sudden reaction was.

"Get Away!" the child screamed, fighting past this unknown sensation that was _not_ at all pleasant.

Of course, that was _more_ than enough for Seth.

The next instant, Seth had vanished in what was slowly becoming a frequent thing, a ripple of distorted air. Moments later, as Minnie took a hesitant step backward, he re-materialized in normal space, swinging his arm _viciously_ to the side, both backhanding the Queen, as well as applying a considerable amount of Force to the blow. The mouse woman was _launched_ through the group containing her husband and his allies, crashing _painfully_ into a wall, where she immediately lost consciousness from the impact.

Horrified, Mickey turned angry eyes to his wife's attacker, only to freeze as he saw Seth tending to the still wailing child.

"Shh shh, fight it back Miri, fight it back."

"wh-why?!"

"It's _pain_ Miri. This is _pain_." He explained, gently pulling the shuddering and crying child into his arms. He was rubbing her back softly with one hand, while grasping her cloak-sleeve with the other. Slowly, the girl nodded, finally having a name to go with the sensation. She hissed again, a fresh wave of tears flowing out, as he exposed the burnt flesh to the air.

Felt by her, but unseen by others, he was already taking steps to heal the wound. Quickly piecing together what must have happened, he'd begun reaching his will, through her. At the same time, a small green orb raced through the air and landed in the palm of his free hand.

"Wh-why…?" Was all the girl said.

"Pain…" he began, clutching the Materia. "Exists as a warning. It's the brain's reaction to an unwanted change upon the body. It's a living being's way of being told by their own body that something is wrong." He explained, as a small glob of water formed from the air, gently flowing around Miri's arm.

"That's physical pain. It's not at all pleasant, though there are some people who draw a twisted form of pleasure from it. Their reasons are their own, and somewhat difficult to understand, such as being proof that they still live."

She nodded, still shuddering, still in agony, even with the attempted soothing cool of the Water, the wound gave off an odd heat to it, causing the water to warm and nearly boil before Seth replaced it.

Mickey and Donald were throwing Healing spells at the unconscious Queen, but both froze when a familiar sensation of _cold_ washed over them. They turned, with many others, to see a portal of Darkness tear itself open, a man flying out. The man was clothed in a crisp business suit, with short, brown hair. He looked around wildly, with immense fear, but was held fast by, of all things, an _Invisible_ Heartless. Sword in its right hand, the floating man-demon grabbed the human by his hair, lifting him up.

All around, Keyblades appeared, but none were as fast as Seth's. In his free hand, his angle-hooked black Keyblade formed, before he launched it at high speeds, in the direction of the man and Invisible. But unlike what anyone expected, it wasn't the Heartless that was pierced.

The man stared in shock, as the weapon sunk into his chest, noting his vision beginning to fade. A single tear slid down the left side of his face, as he realized what was going on. This…was penance. Despite it being a shock, and most definitely unwanted, his life flashed before his eyes, and he understood. This was his reward, for all the horrible things he'd done, up to this point.

With that final regret in mind, that he did not lead the life he _should_ have, he closed his eyes, accepting his end. His body shattered into fragments of light, as a small glittering crystal, surrounded by a field of energy in the shape of a heart, was left behind. Seth's Keyblade dropped to the ground before vanishing, the Heart flying towards him, landing in his hand.

"C'mon baby, open up. Say 'aaah'."

He pantomimed opening his mouth wide. Following his desire, the girl did the same, even making a shaky 'aaah' noise to go with it. Gently, he slid the Heart into her mouth, which she closed, and then gulped it down. Her hands gripped his arms as she gave a _violent_ shudder, a heavy veil of Darkness ripping out from her body. There was a soft skittering noise, like tiny claws on wood, and Seth looked down at her injured arm, watching it slowly heal. The damaged flesh cracked and slowly chipped away, until there was naught but pale white skin left behind.

Miri, however, was still sniffling.

"There…all better now…see?" She nodded at him. "Now c'mere. Why don't you come home for a bit? Get some rest. I know you like being Outside." She nodded again, leaning against him. "You can come back Out later, and we'll take another bath, ok?" She nodded one final time, before being engulfed in wisps of Darkness, slowly fading into his body, back to her personal space in his heart.

As the last wisps of Darkness vanished, he let out a slow, shaky breath, and stood, back facing the group.

And then vanished.

* * *

**CLANG**

It took _all_ she had, just to block that initial, and attempted _final_, swing. She had to force every bit of will contained in her petite body to _not_ shudder under the force of his will. The ground beneath them _cracked_ as she had swung her Keyblade up, meeting his Katana. Kairi _barely_ held back a flinch, as the very eyes he gave to Lea, were now glaring down upon her.

Everyone could do nothing but stare in shock that the girl had anticipated what he was going to do, and managed to block him. _Barely_. Even Naminé was quite surprised at her other half's foresight, not to mention her speed. Kairi had started moving the moment Seth stood, which was only half a moment before he disappeared. They all stared as the girl's limbs began to vibrate, her eyes widening and tearing up, her mind fighting the commands her body was being given.

Without warning, red streaks began tracing themselves rapidly up their connected arms.

"You are becoming a nuisance, _Princess_. I am beginning to believe it would be simpler just to _kill_ you."

And now, she was _terrified_.

This was extremely _bad_. Seth already was still irritated from earlier in the week, despite Miri taking him out to calm him down, and his venting on Yuffie yesterday. From her own glimpses into his heart, she _knew_ he was a bundle of tightly wound emotions, having _no_ proper release, or even _time_ to sort his thoughts and feelings out. It's been one thing after another, after another, after _another_, with him. And he was reaching the bottom of his admittedly _large_ well of patience. It was obvious he was ready to kill. _Anyone_. With marked targets being whoever stood in his way.

And guess where she put herself?

"If Master wishes for Us to die, We'll gladly die." She spoke suddenly, her voice higher pitched, breathy, almost…_reverent_ in its tone. Her eyes had widened, Seth's narrowing as the left one turned red, a ring of black in the middle of the iris, the pupil flanked by two comma marks.

"However…if he wishes for Us to be dead, Master will have to kill Sora, Naminé, Ino, and Master too."

The pressure upon her body, her _existence_ seemed to double.

"_Life-Link…_" he growled out.

Kairi gave a shaky nod. "Y-yeah…W-we're linked to Sora…and to you. A-and you're linked to N-Naminé and I-Ino…s-sorry…"

The pressure increased. A glance downward showed her that her hair was beginning to…fray. Along with her clothes. Her heart was beating impossibly fast, his will _dominating_ her own, with her just barely able to put up a meager defense, that was still holding. She knew, it only held because it wasn't _her_ he wanted truly ent. But he was beginning to lose control. Proof was that just by being near him, it hurt. She could feel her skin trying to tear itself open, she could see her clothes beginning to _break_.

"And you know of this how?" he growled.

"Th-the perks of being a P-Princess of Heart…?"

She winced as a veritable wall of _rage_ washed over her.

"As much as We would like to see Master's true power, We know this isn't the proper target. It was an accident, Master. We know you love Miri, We do too. The Rat-Woman has already paid her price. The scales are Balanced, Master. We don't want you to imbalance them against yourself." The high-pitched voice spoke again.

**CHHKKK**

Kairi gave a soft whimper. The ground beneath them broke even more after the other voice's statement. The others _saw_ the wall of force rip from around them, the pressure wave cracking some of the _ceiling_ too.

"P-please…I'll do anything…"

Oh _Gods_ it hurt! Was this what Ino felt? The total rejection of her existence? The feeling like your body was trying to tear itself apart from the outside, in? Only for Kairi it was compounded by his will to tear her apart from the _inside_ as well!

"A-anything at all! A-anything you want! At all! Ever! Nothing is restricted!"

For a moment, she thought he was going to kill her anyway. That's what it felt like, when the pressure suddenly stopped. As if it were that brief moment, before death. She'd have to ask Yuffie if that's what it felt like.

And then the _pain_ hit.

She loosed a soft groan, sliding down the wall, Keyblade far out of reach. She blinked at the blurry image of Seth, blurred from tears, pain, and his own field having hyper-activated. He must have broken the lock and thrown her aside. It wasn't until she saw wisps of Darkness flowing around him, gathering and condensing into a Corridor, that she began to calm. As the pressure of his Will faded, his existence shrouded by the Realm of Darkness, she saw…something, standing in his place.

It was _her_. Only naked, with black hair and glowing red eyes. The other Kairi seemed to glare at her, before a low, breathy voice spoke into her mind.

"**You owe me."**

And with a flicker of light, like a hazy mirage, the girl vanished suddenly. A wave of self-loathing washed over her, as if coming from both within and without. She didn't hear the voices of her friends, asking her if she was injured. All she could do was think…

_Is this…what it feels like…to be broken…? Ino…I think I understand you now…_

* * *

_A flash of steel. Body torn. Clothes shimmering._

_Missed. A clone._

_Ducking low. Sword rising up to block an overhead swing._

_Desperation._

_A pulse of will. She went flying._

_No, that was another clone. Dammit!_

_How many was that? Two? Three?_

_Spinning pinpricks of metal. Twirling the blade. The shuriken were deflected. Jump! A sweep of her leg missed._

_Vulnerable! Swinging blade down, meeting kunai. An attempted kidney strike. That was close._

_A push of desire. It wasn't much, but distance was created. Shoot…she disappeared. Concentrate…_

_Concentrate…_

…_There!_

_A gasp of surprise. Resistance! This was her!_

_Eyes opened. No…_

_The blade was right through her chest._

_No no…_

_Warm blood dripping to the ground._

_No!_

_Her mouth moved, but no sound._

_No! You can't die! This isn't what was supposed to happen!_

_The woman smiled softly, body growing limp. Dark green eyes staring, but not judging._

_A feeling of acceptance._

_A kiss upon the cheek._

_A final breath._

_**Should the blade's owner still live, the only way to claim it, is to slay its Master.**_

_**There can only be One.**_

* * *

Eyes snapped open. A wave of _pain_ washed over her. Tears spilled out as a surprised sob blurted from her throat. Why did it _hurt_ so much? What _was_ that?!

"So you've seen it."

Her head snapped up, hair lashing herself in the back. In front of her stood…_her_.

"Y-you…"

"That was his memory of the day he Claimed the Kitetsu. The woman's name was Midori, she was his teacher in the art of sword-fighting. She was a _ninja_."

"Wh-what-

"He made a promise to her, that day. That if he claimed the blade, he would carry on her dream of creating a space where wandering swords like them could live in peace. A place where all who were displaced by the wars would be welcome, defended by those who could battle. A safe haven from the Keyblade."

Kairi's anti-existence, her Anti-Form, stood, back facing the redhead. Tears still flowing down her eyes, Kairi sat transfixed, staring at her darker mirror image.

"Since he's been awake, it's been promise after promise. Ha hasn't had time for himself. If it weren't for Miri…he'd have gone insane by now. With her hurt…the old hatreds are coming back. There's a _reason_ why it's called _Dople oz Lusye_."

"What…? What does that-

"It doesn't matter right now."

The black haired teenager didn't let Kairi get a single word in.

"I showed that to you, to show you where it all started."

"Where _what_ all started?!" Kairi was starting to get annoyed.

"His spiral into madness. He's been holding on, barely, for all this time. Doing things like drawing from you, restoring Xion, training Yuffie and eventually you as well…they're just distractions. Things to keep his mind off of how badly he wants it all to end."

The Anti-Existence finally turned to Kairi, red eyes staring into blue.

"We _cannot_ let that happen. His _end_ would be explosive, and messy. He's lost too much, felt too much _hurt_ to simply let himself end alone. He would purge everything around him into _death_, if he got that far."

"…what do I do…? I don't even know…"

"Stop _rejecting_."

The redhead blinked. "What…?"

"I exist because you _made_ me. You made me by _rejecting_. Stop it."

"I don't…I haven't-

"Stop _lying_ to yourself! You've built up so much _bullshit_ because you've been rejecting for these past few years! Stop it! You want to keep him stable? You want to keep _Sora_ alive? _Then stop __**rejecting**__!_ You think _he_ is going to stop just because he's caught in a web of Life-Links? You can't underestimate him. He'll _find_ a way to break them if that's what it takes. And with a Keyblade now, he very well could succeed!"

"Well what do I do then?! I barely even know what you're talking about! Besides, why should I _listen_ to you anyway?! You're just a fake!"

The naked, black haired Kairi's eyes seemed to flare a darker red.

"I **am** you. You are **me.** I am your **Shadow.** The being created by the light of your existence, your constant rejection of the parts of you that you fear, that you dislike."

Kairi shook her head. "No. No way! You're not. You're nothing but a clone. You're not real. You're _not_ me!"

The Anti-Existence shook her head. "Tch…worthless human. You're not worth anything in this state. Fine. Keep hiding. You'll see. Stupid cunt. Get out!"

It felt like she was slammed in the stomach with an iron pole. Her whole body felt compressed, torn. Blackness overtook her vision as the sight of her Anti-Existence grew smaller, those glowing red eyes being burned into her memory.

"_**You **__**owe**__** me. There will come a time when you need my power. And then…then you'll see the **__**Truth**__**. I'll see you then, Red."**_

* * *

Once _again_ everyone had come together at the Gathering Hall. The Queen had recovered nicely, her injuries being very mild, and quickly resolved with rapid applications of healing magic, her own internal stores, as well as a much needed massage from her husband. Not to anyone's surprise, she held no ill-will against Miri nor Seth. Minnie had reasoned out in the few seconds travel time before the impact knocked her unconscious that Seth had reacted the way a loving caretaker would.

While it wasn't intentional, she acknowledged that she had harmed the strange child, and that provoked a _deadly_ reaction from Seth. She was a little worried, but mostly unphased upon finding out he'd intended to kill her.

"_Not unlike a parent in defense of child. I cannot truly blame him for wishing to end a threat to his charge's existence. He did merely what would have been expected of someone in his position. I'm glad that he was stopped, but I can't say I'm unsurprised he would go that far."_

She was suggested to by her husband to stay back, at the hotel they had spent the night in. She refuted, claiming she wished to apologize to both personally. It would be unbecoming of her if she simply let things stand, and considering how powerful he was, she believed it best if she kept his feelings towards their kingdom at least _neutral_. After all, Kairi was overcome by his will once before, and they _both_ apparently channeled power that was supposedly just a sliver of what he was truly capable of. And that nearly destroyed the castle.

Naminé had taken the King and Queen aside, after Minnie regained consciousness and explained a little to them.

"_We'd brought up the idea of having a base of operations. Riku and Sora wanted to ask if we could use your castle, but Seth rejected that violently. He said he wasn't going anywhere near your world if he could help it. I asked why, and his reason is that the Cornerstone is an object of Pure Light. Your world is bathed in its energies, and he fully believes that Miri could be hurt just by being there, if not outright destroyed. And he won't go anywhere if she can't follow. He believes that even if she hid in his shadow she would be harmed. So even if he were to wish for your destruction, its doubtful he'd go to your world…but…if I may, it would be better if you didn't antagonize him. Keyblade aside, he's smart, and crafty, and when he wants something done, he'll __**find**__ a way. So…it's honestly better if we don't push him to deciding to think of a way to block out the Cornerstone."_

The Cornerstone of Light was, for the moment, the only thing keeping Seth from deciding to simply summon the Heartless to consume their world, if he so chose. It was clear to Minnie that he cared for the child like his own daughter, especially with the way he apparently taught her the meaning of what she was feeling before restoring her. Neither Mickey nor Minnie were pleased that his method was to kidnap someone and steal their heart for the girl to consume, and Mickey voiced as such, but it was Alicia, surprisingly, that gave him something to think about.

"_Ahh, you forget, Sir Mickey, but Miri is not a normal human in the slightest. It's easy to forget, seeing him interact with her, but she is still a Heartless that has somehow taken the form of a human. Any of our healing magics would probably only hurt her further at worst, if not do nothing at best. He performed the only act he knew of that would stabilize and recover her, which was give her a heart to consume. Human looking or not, she __**is**__ still a Heartless. And from her reaction, she'd never been hurt before, thus it's unlikely he'd explored any other method of recovery for her."_

They didn't like it, but considering that, even though it was accidental, Miri's injury was Minnie's fault, they could say nothing against it. Minnie, after hearing Naminé's explanation, spent much of the remainder she was awake the previous night, puzzling out why Miri would have such a bad reaction to her touch. Her only suspected answer was that because Minnie was such a powerful practitioner of the Holy Arts, combined with constantly being in a rather close proximity to the Cornerstone, gave her a sort of 'aura' of Light energy. This 'aura' must have permeated into her very physical touch, and would be like acid to an unprotected being of Darkness.

Still, it had been an hour, and still no sign of Seth at all. Silently, Leon, Cid and Cloud were happy about that development. The Women understanding him or not, they viewed Seth as a credible threat, and bad things seemed to keep happening whenever he was around. Yuffie was their youngest member, she was like a younger sister to them all, and he'd killed her without preamble. Despite him reviving her in the end, they didn't trust him. Not after everything he did.

If only they'd known how little he cared for what they thought. Strong as they were, none of them would be a match for a skilled Keyblade wielder. Sora alone had beaten them at various times, both at the Colosseum tournaments, and outside those defined fights. And that was when he was still inexperienced with the Keyblade, or wielding powers he wasn't completely used to.

Seth was a seasoned warrior, having lived around Keyblades for years, fought against them for half as long, and now wielded his own. Combine that with that strange sword he had, and his powers that, to be honest, none of them could counter, save _maybe_ with a few specific Materia, and they got a very large threat to them.

And that's if he decided to fight them head on. As they were repeatedly reminded, Miri was a _heartless_. And through her, he could control them. If it was his wish, he could plunge the world back into darkness, consuming it completely, like what nearly happened before when Ansem and Maleficent were around. It was understandable, that they were wary around him. Especially since he _still _hadn't fixed their defense system. All they were able to do was turn the whole grid off.

Still, lack of Seth was almost as bad as him being around. At least they could react to anything he did…

Sadly enough, it was just as well that Seth didn't know how they truly felt.

He'd likely have killed them, and saved himself the time.

* * *

Another half hour had passed. Still no sign of Seth. Knowing he held many of the answers that they all needed, the large group remained in the hall, a specific few of them hoping he'd arrive soon. Kairi blinked suddenly, swearing she saw something out of the corner of her eye. A shimmer of air that didn't come from a breeze. Almost like a ripple…

Ino was speaking with Roxas, listening to him tell her about the fight he had with Sora, where Sora beat him by using the Recall function of the Keyblade, a function he didn't know about until that moment. She was listening intently, but a small part of her couldn't stop worrying about her crush.

Kairi blinked again. There it was again! Another ripple like before! Almost like…wait…

_**Tch…idiot. He's cloaking himself.**_

Kairi frowned. Not only was she a little peeved that the voice of her Anti-Existence was once again in her head, but she was confused as to why she couldn't see him as well.

_**Isn't it obvious? He's hiding from even you.**_

_That shouldn't be possible._ Great. Now she was _talking_ to it.

_**He's rejecting you the same way you are rejecting him.**_

_I'm __**not**__ rejecting him!_

_**Oh? Then why can't you see him? You could see him just fine before.**_

_I…I don't know! Maybe he found a way to-_

The Anti-Existence laughed. _**Oh you are sooo desperate. Trying so hard to ignore what's right in front of your face. He can't hide from you, or rather, he shouldn't be able to. He was able to keep **__**one**__** secret from you because it wasn't his secret to tell. Outside of that, you two cancel each other's invisibility powers. He would always be able to **__**perceive**__** you, just as you should always be able to do the same with him. But if you two are **__**rejecting**__** one another…**_

_Enough. He's doing something strange. I don't have time to listen to you._

The voice scoffed. _**You'll regret those words soon enough.**_

Ino got up for a moment, to stretch her legs, you see. Lea was rubbing the back of his head, embarrassed, while Ienzo was once again shifting through the pages of a book, and Isa was just shaking his head. Roxas had gotten to the part where he'd kicked Axel's ass, after the redhead had been trying to get him to remember. Ino turned around, hands on her hips, ready to berate Lea for his foolishness when out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something strange.

What seemed to be a vague shimmer of light, just off to the side of her view. She blinked and turned, only to blink again in surprise as the shimmer rippled, revealing Seth lunging forward.

"Wha-

**WHAM**

Shocking everyone, Seth slammed his right fist directly into Ino's left cheek, a small ripple of air echoing out from the impact zone. Ino was bodily thrown away, as the others started getting over their shock. But Seth wasn't done. With a pulse of will, he rocketed forward, crashing left knee to Ino's stomach, throwing her upward into the air, before he deftly spun around and delivered a backwards axe kick, throwing her back down to the ground.

As she crashed into the floor heavily, Ino coughed out a small mouthful of blood, mind racing to push past the pain, and figure out what the hell was going on. Unconsciously engaging the regeneration ability that most Nobodies had, she slowly pushed herself to her feet, just in time to narrowly shift to the left, evading an overhead lunge from Seth, holding his Keyblade.

It was this moment, that something in her clicked. In a rush, her thoughts centered on one concept.

_If he wanted me dead, I'd be dead from the first attack. If he wanted messy, he could have crushed my skull with that punch. If he wanted clean, he could have just impaled me with his sword or Keyblade. Even if he wanted to deliver maximum pain, he'd have used his field to slowly crush the bones in my body. This…is different. He's slower than he could be. He…wants me to fight back. I get it now. He's __**testing**__ me!_

In the second her thoughts raced and came to that conclusion, Ino consciously grabbed the part of her that governed recovery rates and pushed it to maximum. As Seth was turning his missed swing into a reverse-grip upward chop, Ino stepped again to the side, but retaliated this time. Left foot rising, she aimed a kick for his temple, only to have her foot blocked by his Keyblade.

A thrust of his empty left palm, and she was sent flying by a small field of repulsion. But to everyone's mild shock, she simply flipped back with the motion, and threw her arms to the side. Her momentum all but halted, and she landed on her feet gracefully. Holding his Keyblade still in a reverse grip, Seth charged forward, using his field to propel himself. Just as he was almost upon her, Ino instinctively flicked her right wrist, a trio of small crackling knives appearing between her fingers. To Seth's surprise, she ducked low just as he'd swung his blade to the right, - after flipping its grip in his hand – and swung her right arm up. Eyes wide, he lurched his head and upper torso back, just out of reach of the makeshift claws. His shirt, however, was sliced open, showing how close Ino got to actual contact.

Because his motion was unplanned, he had little time to properly react, and could do nothing but eat a foot to his gut, throwing him back. Like Ino, Seth went with the motion and flipped backward, landing on his feet, but having to hop a few times to bleed off the momentum. Then, to _everyone's_ shock, including Seth, Ino seemed to give off a violent crackling glow, before there was a brief shimmer to her sides, and now there were **three** of her.

Seth blinked, mentally gaping. _Clones?!_

Two of the three Ino's charged at him, both crackling with electricity flowing around their bodies. _Clones with electrical fields?!_

The left one swung her arm out, Seth repulsing the thrown knives, only to have to throw his left arm up to block an overhead axe kick from the other. _**Solid**__ clones?! What the fuck is this shittery?! Even Midori-sensei didn't have those!_

Unknown to him, many others were thinking the _exact_ same thing.

* * *

"…Lene…isn't that _your_ trick?" Lea asked the blonde woman next to him.

The woman once called 'Larxene' _wanted_ to be seething with anger. But she wasn't. She was just numb to it all. She never wanted to be _human_ again. The moment she woke up, all the pain, all the _memories_ came rushing back. Made worse by how she'd treated others while a Nobody. So happy…so _free_ to be without her heart, her memories capable of being buried, no emotional tie to them, no constant pressure of sealed feelings and hatreds and fears. But by doing so, she ended up becoming like _them_.

Her memories of her tormentors shaped her Nobody self. She often wondered _why_ they did what they did, spoke the way they spoke, performed the _horrible_ things they'd done. But as a human, she was in too much pain, to _afraid_ to lash out, to even fathom looking into it. She didn't want to become a monster like them.

But _without_ her heart, she couldn't keep the drive up. She couldn't remind herself _why_ she was afraid. So she looked into it. And unconsciously began emulating them. 'The Savage Nymph' they called her. Because she'd just as quickly suck your cock as she would shove a knife through it. It was sheer luck none of the other members asked anything of _that_ nature of her. She was…somewhat respected, or rather, her powers and skills were. And some of the more flighty, or rather, more animated members were too 'afraid' to do anything suggestive to her.

Except Xigbar, but he was an asshole even before becoming a nobody, not that she knew it.

Honestly, she hated what she did as a Nobody. It was just like _them_. She wanted to apologize to Sora but…

Well it's hard enough to admit to yourself you've done wrong, when you're emotionally fucked up the way she was. Harder still to say it out loud. It was disturbing to think about it, but when the pain hit that day, and the light ripped from her chest, a part of her _welcomed_ it. Punishment, for her foolish crimes. She took a risk, coming here. And so far she hadn't gotten any payoff. But…

Why was it…that by acknowledging what she did…here and _now_…did she feel…lighter?

"Y-yeah…" Still, regardless of her emotional state – which is even more chaotic than Xion's was – she was a little…annoyed, to see the once Puppet pulling off her techniques. But then she remembered what Seth had said the day before, that 'Ino' was 'born' through absorbing the information within Gaia Memories containing data on all thirteen Organization members. Herself included.

"Holy crap she's good…" Roxas uttered in awe.

He'd defeated Xion. He beat Riku, before Riku did his own Ansem transformation. He beat Axel. He _almost_ beat Sora, and only lost because Sora knew _more_ about the Keyblade's capabilities than Roxas did. Roxas clearly outmatched Sora in raw power and skill, but Sora had _knowledge_. Roxas never needed the Recall function of the Keyblade, thus he never _learned_ about it. Roxas basically had treated the Keyblades like normal swords, only with his heart as their sheaths.

But Roxas was considered to possibly be the strongest next to Xemnas, and most definitely the most useful to the Organization's plans. So to see Ino _manhandling_ Seth, almost effortlessly, after his surprise attack – which took everything Lea had to keep Roxas from reacting to – was _mindblowing_. She really _had_ grown and changed, thanks in part to her memories of Roxas, but also because of Seth's influence.

Which is why what came next, didn't really surprise him in the slightest.

* * *

_Weak…_

_Too weak…_

_Why is…_

_He's not keeping up. He's __**better**__ than this, I know it!_

_He's distracted. He's overloaded. He's holding back. He's __**forcing **__himself to hold back!_

_This is stupid._

_I can't let this keep going._

A wall of light comprised of multiple rectangles snapped into view as Seth swung his Keyblade overhead. The sudden barrier repelled his attack, before splintering away, Ino able to smash the flat edge of the oversized massive sword she was now holding, into his chest, launching him backwards. His recovery was slower than before. She was wearing him down.

No.

He was wearing _himself_ down.

She could _feel_ it. Somehow. He was holding back. It made sense to her, slightly. He was only trying to assess her battle capabilities. But…

She knew him. She knew him almost as long as Kairi did. And even though Ino lacked the Heart-to-Heart bond that he and Kairi share, Ino knew loneliness, solitude, _breaking_, better than Kairi ever could. She knew what those feelings did to a person. She knew firsthand how badly _stress_ could fuck with even the most focused of minds.

And she was seeing signs of it, during their not-spar. He'd employed his field, but the range was closer to him than it should have been. And he never used his Driver. She'd long since expected him to activate it to balance the scales, but instead he didn't. He was taking her seriously…but…still restricting himself. And she could see why. He was afraid of losing control.

The past weeks hadn't been easy on him. At all. And he _still_ hadn't been able to truly have time to come to terms with his newfound reality, drowning himself in busywork to keep from going crazy. But the past week especially had shown he was close to his limit.

He'd vented a little on Yuffie, but again, that was on a _request_. And even though it ended in Yuffie's death, something _literally_ told him it wanted her alive. He was being jerked around like a tool, constantly. No time to rest, not _giving himself_ time to rest.

His eyes were flickering between the brown that she always got lost in, to a bloody orange-red. His pupils kept expanding and contracting, narrowing into slits like a beast, and returning to normal. He was at his emotional limits, the intended spar-turned-battle pushing him to the edge.

It wasn't hard for her to understand her feelings anymore. They didn't _break_ her like they did once ago. She was an entirely _new_ existence. A _true_ Self. She _understood_ her emotions, even if they confused her sometimes. She owed him. She owed him _everything_. He gave her life. He gave her _Roxas_.

She hadn't said it to anyone, let alone Roxas himself, but Ino had a running theory that whatever he did to release her from the depths of Sora's heart, set Roxas free too. And while _she_ needed outside help to gain a physical form, and finalize her heart as her own, using Seth's logistics; Roxas, being a life-form that was remembered, acknowledged and sustained by many, including Sora himself, already had enough of a heart to not need any extra assistance, and merely needed to be freed and given enough 'power' to maintain a stable physical form.

In essence, Roxas only needed someone or something, to make or give him a body. Roxas was no longer the Nobody of Sora. Roxas, like Ino, was a true Self. What little knowledge she gleaned from Sora before their forced connection was broken, had told her that the Worlds themselves had Hearts, and could sometimes enact their own wills. It wasn't much of a stretch to believe that whatever world Roxas' heart ended up on, likely this one, had acknowledged his actions and concept, and used its power to 'birth' him.

But even if that theory was correct, it was only possible because _Seth_ freed her, which freed Roxas.

She owed him _everything_. And she wanted to _give_ him everything. But she had nothing to offer him, save for _herself_.

And by Tia that's _exactly_ what she was going to do.

* * *

"…Stop it."

Seth, the others just blinked at her.

"Stop it! Just _Stop!_ Stop **holding back!**"

What the hell was she on about? The guy nearly takes her head off and she calls it _holding back_?

"Ino-

"No! I know what you're trying to do, and if it were any other time I'd go along with it, but I can't let you do this to yourself anymore! You're barely holding onto yourself as it is!"

Seth's eyes narrowed, even as his pupils widened. His vision swam for a moment, a voice echoing in his mind.

"_You haven't been the same since then Master. More guarded, less…you."_

"I don't need to be Kairi to see that you're overstressed! You haven't had _time_ to deal with everything, but it's too late for that now. You need to _let it all go._"

His hand began trembling on its own. What was this…feeling…? Familiarity. But it wasn't a pleasant sensation. No…it felt like…trespassing. Like she was stepping somewhere she didn't _belong_.

"_You feel like shit cause of all of it. We all know you do. You need to let it out Master."_

"Please, Seth. Trust me. I can take it! Everything you dish out I can handle! You don't have to worry about me…I'm the only one who can. Anything you do to me I can handle. So please…"

Did…did she even know what she was saying? What her words were doing to him? She was right in the fact that he was overstressed, horribly so. He was already at his _limits_ of focus, and will. And here she was…_pushing_ him to let go?

"_Please Master. You need this. I can handle anything you throw at me. I'm me, remember? Whatever you do I'll just undo. I've already made a __**Restoration Solution**__, just in case. So please."_

For a moment, he wasn't looking at Ino. Instead, he saw a glasses wearing girl with a soft, sad grin on her face. Brown hair to her shoulders in soft flowing curls, bobbing in a phantom wind, grayish eyes staring at him, begging him to let it all go, to release the locks on his emotions, to open the floodgates and allow it to overflow.

"Let me have it."

"_Let me have it."_

This…girl. This…this _puppet_…this _stupid petulant child_ thinks that she can equate herself to the one being who was his **equal**?! Of all the arrogant things to believe in, this…this…_Nobody_ though she could match **her?!**

Destroy.

Destroy the faker! Crush this **fool** into oblivion! Show her the folly of her actions, the foolishness in her ideas, her beliefs, by bringing her the death she so obviously seeks!

"_Let it go…Master. I want to feel __**everything**__."_

* * *

Kairi gasped. A wall of sheer _hatred_ swept through her. The air around Seth began to cloud in a dense haze, his loose vest beginning to flutter as his field slowly pulsed to full power. Red streaks began echoing from her chest, sweeping along her veins. She gave a low, throaty, _pained_ moan as once again his sheer force of _existence_ was beginning to **crush** hers. She tried to resist, but felt her very will being _sapped_.

But not from him.

_**Not this time little girl. It's high time you truly **__**felt**__** him inside you.**_

Kairi stumbled, her knees becoming weak, unable to hold her body up. She fell back into Sora, who quickly caught her, worry on his face. He wasn't feeling a thing, and that was _scaring _him.

The ground began to rumble, as Seth continued to stare blankly at Ino, a soft but defined tinny buzzing becoming present in the air around him, growing louder as the seconds passed. Clutching her Keyblade in hand, Ino stared him down, watching his eyes fade completely into the demonic orange-red they'd take on when his emotional state hit a certain level. She'd gotten a glimpse of it back with Lea, and a confirmation the day prior when he attempted to **murder** Minnie for harming Miri.

It didn't take long for her to figure out it was a _telltale_. An outward sign of _danger_. That he was close to losing himself in his emotions. She didn't exactly know where it came from or why, though it was likely he knew about it. And she knew he was only in this state because he never had time to _dive_ and assess everything. To him, it had been a week tops, since his last tie to sanity _died_ for him, when he was forcibly awoken by Xemnas.

It was only a matter of time before he snapped. So she chose _now_ to do it.

If she were how she was back when she was Xion, she would definitely die in seconds. But now…with the powers of _all thirteen _Organization members flowing through her, along with their knowledge of battle, on top of her own abilities…she was confident she could provide the _proper_ vent he needed.

After all, despite her obvious attraction to him…she wasn't yet mentally ready to just grab him and screw his brains out. While that _would_ have been an option, under normal circumstances, it had been so long with him having to disregard himself in order to complete his tasks, even _that_ might not work, though it would honestly be a…markedly less dangerous path to take.

Slowly, he rose from his crouched position. The air was tense, thick with his gravitational field beginning to expand around him, _tagging_ everything in the area. A subconscious ability of his that he called **Event Horizon**. By expanding his field in a certain radius around him, he could note the positions of _everything_, by periodically sending pulses of lightly compressed air to act as a makeshift mental sonar. It granted him a vague mental picture of what changed in his surroundings, but was highly inferior to other sensory techniques.

It was crude, but it did its job. And it also marked things with a small piece of his field, allowing for faster anchoring, be it of himself, or an object to him that could be used as a weapon or otherwise shield.

But the most dangerous thing was that his Keyblade slowly crackled out of existence, before it was replaced by that strange, faintly glowing Katana.

Kairi's eyes widened as she realized what was going on. She didn't know _where_ that thing had come from, but she could _tell_ it was bad news.

_**That, is the Kitetsu. His original weapon before he gained his own Keyblade.**_

It's presence seemed to _add_ to the pressure.

_What…he never…_

_**He didn't know he could still access it. I don't know too much more than you, but I know enough. It was a surprise to him when it appeared in his hands when he was going to kill that idiot Lea. Especially since it **__**isn't**__** a Keyblade, or even fashioned in the same way. Apparently, before the world ended, he somehow made a Vector Trap, and locked the Kitetsu, along with other things that he still isn't completely sure about, inside.**_

He gripped the katana, body tensing, eyes narrowing as they seemed to _lock on_ to Ino.

_Vector Trap?_

Kairi was barely holding in the shudders. Her body was reacting _badly_ to this type of pressure. It felt…_twisted_.

_**A sort of 'pocket dimension' created by folding space around the user. It is literally infinite in span, and anything can be stored inside. But living organisms can't survive within it. It doesn't hold the capabilities of sustaining life. Though, time doesn't exist there, in a sense. Or rather, there is nothing that causes the concept of time to pass. To give a better example, if he were to lock a way a frozen bottle of ice water, and then pull it out fifty years later, it would be completely unchanged. Things in there enter a sort of stasis.**_

_And…he can do this?_

_**That's the thing. Before he was awoken here, he knew of the idea, but lacked the **__**power**__** to do so. All the things he's been doing with his field? It's all been reactionary. The potential was there, but he could never push his power beyond a certain point until now. He had the ideas, and the base to do it, but lacked the push. Flight, disruption, dissipation, **__**erasure**__**…all the things he can do now, he was only able to do weaker versions of, **__**if he was pushed into a corner**__**. Until he woke, he could only vaguely influence the pull of gravity on things.**_

_How do you know all this?_

_**When it comes to Destruction…I know everything he knows, up to the point I was created. Everything else, I only know what you know.**_

And then…a **THOOM** of force as he rocketed towards Ino.

And the black haired girl stood ready for him.

* * *

_Ok…maybe I bit off just a biiit more than I can chew…_

The battle, for that's what it had become, was going…well. Everything he threw at her she was able to match. He was fast, almost faster than she could keep up with, but she was pushing everything she had into at least _dodging_. So far he hadn't landed a single hit, though there were some _very_ close calls. He was recovering from missed swings, repelled strikes, almost faster than she could react. But she was keeping up.

And then he started getting _faster_.

Her cloak began shredding itself due to his proximity. It wasn't even because of near-misses or improperly dodged or blocked swings, it was because **he** was in front of her. The ground beneath his feet would crack and begin to crumble with every step, she felt herself being _compressed_ by the very fact that he was _there_. It was _very_ similar to the short time his subconscious had classed her as an enemy.

But because of _then_, she knew how to deal with it.

A quick wall of light that blocked his horizontal swing, three thrown daggers that were blown aside just as they left her hands, two condensed fireballs that were quickly dispersed before even getting close to him, and she was given just enough time to tap **Xigbar** to create a counter effect. A small ripple of air washed over her, and no longer could she feel the pressured effects of his field.

What she'd done, was create a continuous folding of space around her that negated his pressure. It wouldn't do much more than keep him from being able to actively effect her with his powers, but it was only applied to _her_. The space immediately around her body negated his fields…but she knew that he was creative, even when clearly angry as he is now. Without that pressure upon her, she was able to react better, blocking and even parrying some of his swings. Their fields met and canceled one another out, letting her see his movements clearly, and not through the blurry haze that had existed before.

And it was very obvious that he wasn't happy about it.

* * *

Suddenly Kairi began to shudder. She couldn't hold it back anymore. Another wave of **hate** washed over her, causing her to cough. This…_hurt_. It all hurt. It hurt so much she couldn't even _fathom_ fighting the pain. All she could do was focus on the _voice_.

_**Oh…yessss…**_

_Are…are you __**enjoying**__ this?! Are you seriously getting off on his hatred?!_

_**Not his hatred. **__**Him**__**.**_

_I…wait you __**ARE?!**_

_**No reason not to. Might as well ride the wave as it comes. Hah…innuendo.**_

…_you're insane…_

_**Best way to cope Red. Besides…he's really lost it now.**_

_What do you mean?_

_**Oh right you don't know…well, sit back a spell and I'll tell you. Just keep your eyes on the fight.**_

Something had changed. His swings were…faster. Wilder. Less coordinated. Less calculated and focused. They went from specific and direct to wide and all encompassing. He'd even summoned the phantom image of his katana, swinging both down in opposing directions, only for Ino to throw her empty right hand up, a second Keyblade appearing in hand, blocking his attack.

_**Ooh…that's a neat little trick. I get it now…**_

_How can she…how?!_

_**Roxas. Ino's been channeling the Organization this entire time. She just tapped Roxas to block that.**_

_I…why…why her…? Why not…_

_**Jealous, are we?**_

_Wh-what? No! I'm not-_

_**Oh Tia…when will you learn? Whatever you reject, I get. You're jealous of her. Jealous that she can do something for him you can't.**_

…_yes. Yes I am._

_**Good. You're learning.**_

…_you said he'd lost it._

_**Yes. It's not fully obvious yet but he has definitely lost control. You'll start seeing it now. Notice how his swings aren't as focused. He wants to cause **__**pain**__** now. They're wider, to try to catch her in a failed block, or a mistimed dodge. He's not being as technical. You know his fighting style.**_

_Use the world around you. All as one, one as none._

_**Exactly. He's only using his sword. He's not even really kicking at her anymore. He wants blood.**_

_Why…? Why is he getting like this? Is it really stress?_

_**That and more…**_

* * *

Ino ducked and twirled, narrowly evading the spinning whirlwind of death that had become Seth's katana. He'd attached the hilt of the dark echo to the actual blade, and was now twirling it like a polearm. She was amazed and very impressed by his dexterity, even though she had to focus on evading. She knew he was losing himself in his emotions, possibly even a memory of some sorts. That was her plan though.

Still, she was pressured to _not get hit_. At the speed he was moving a block would only cause recoil that would make her lose momentum. She was using every trick she could. Clones, barriers, walls, spears of light, gales of flame, even whips of water.

And he was repelling it all, if not outright cutting through it. But even so, she could tell his frustration was mounting. The floodgates were open, he had no control over his emotions now. Due to that, all the frustration would just come right back out, at her. It was a dangerous game she was playing…but death meant nothing to her.

After all, the Life Link would just bring her back. And even if it didn't, he had brought her back to existence once before. She knew he'd feel guilty about this, not that she wanted him to.

Ducking under another horizontal swing, before pivoting on her left foot, throwing her weight in that direction and tucking in her right leg to avoid getting it chopped off – that'd be really shitty after all – She was forced to do a quick handspring backwards to avoid the follow up, saw-like spinning upward slash, instinctively spreading her legs so the blades would pass through open space and not actually chop off a foot – she must have gotten that from Larxene, she thought to herself – before curling her body inward, pushing a large amount of force into her small hands to throw herself up and over Seth, who whirled around angrily.

Some of his strikes _should_ have hit. But she kept bending space around her to temporarily phase out of existence when one got too close. A small thought in the back of her mind called it _Phasewalk_, though she didn't truly know why.

But now…things changed. The swords vanished, and he lunged at her, faster than even before. He swung his bare hand, fingers arced like a claw. She hopped back, out of his range, confused.

And then flinched violently as the front of her cloak shredded open, three long gashes appearing. Her eyes widened in shock. He'd bypassed her space compression!

_Oh crap!_

* * *

_What…what's he doing?_

_**Master has hit the second stage…**_

_Second stage of __**what?!**_

_**The first stage was his eyes. Those showed he was at the end of his rope. The second stage is the body. He's attacking more like an animal now. A raging beast wanting to tear its opponent to shreds. Notice how feral his swings are. The air itself is being rent by claws that don't exist, yet they still do. The upside of the change is that he's returned to using the space around him as a battlefield. Mobility and ferocity are now his weapons.**_

_Why…? What's causing this?_

_**This is the result of the Blood Pact.**_

_The what?_

_**You'll understand soon. Ino is too good. She can play the dodging game all day, especially now that she knows his range is longer than it seems. He won't land another hit on her in this state.**_

_That's good though…right?_

_**Hmph, you **__**would**__** think that.**_

_What's that supposed to mean?_

_**You'll see…**_

* * *

Slowly, a single eye opened.

What was it that called…? Why was it being prodded awake?

The World came into focus, as the eye opened fully.

Her Champion…? He is awake?

She felt for his energy, gazed upon the World until she could See him.

He felt…different. Off. There, but not quite fully himself.

She was not referring to his near berserker state, swinging away with claw at the strangely powerful black haired girl that seemed to give off a counter echo to his own. And yet at the same time, a lightly harmonious one as well.

A connection of Life? Interesting. She saw other ties as well, one to a blonde female, and another to a redhead. Oddly enough, all three girls shared similar facial structures. She Looked.

Ahh…the one He was fighting was once a false existence, who took the appearance of the Redhead's negative. The Blonde was a shard of the redhead, given flesh. That explained why they all looked nearly the same. Still, it did not explain the pull upon her.

She Gazed upon him again. He was awakened prematurely, it seems. And given a Keyblade? Interesting, so something had finally triggered it within him. Perhaps it was _that_ event…

She Beheld his existence, his very Being.

Interesting. The Heartless Child would be good for him. Very good for him. He needed her. But it was quite obvious his insanity was building. She was impressed he kept his eyes Unclouded for so long, despite his eroding mental state. The girl…ahh, she called herself Ino. Very well. The girl, Ino, was right in her attempts to free him from the shackles of his bound emotions. And it looked like the girl could actually survive it.

Good. It wouldn't do for her Champion to be clouded as such. Still…what caused such a block to begin forming?

Oh…that's what. That blank zone at his core was still present. His mind had been arranged to allow his emotions to flow and process, but that blank zone was…corroding them. The flow was slower than it should have been. It definitely didn't help that his feelings of arousal and lust were being shunted aside. Hmm…she could not interfere with the outside…not yet. T'was the reason for her slumber. To regain the power she lost upon the end of that World.

It seemed that the redhead was rather taken with him…but she was pushing it away in favor of a brunette. Ahh yes…that boy. No match for her Champion but quite powerful. Outside of her Champion, and the girl calling herself Ino, he was likely the third most powerful in that gathered group.

Regardless, however, she needed to do_ something_ to assist her Champion. Their exchange went both ways, after all. She noted the similarities in situations. The first time he called upon the power she gave him, he was afraid of himself for a time after. Pushing his emotions away. Thankfully that girl was around to help him Comprehend.

But she wasn't any longer. However that Ino girl was determined to fill _her_ role. And that was what seemed to set him off. Good. He needed to release it all. But that blank zone was making it difficult.

Still, she now knew why she was awoken, even if only temporarily. The redhead had brushed her sleeping mind, and was repelled. But she was awoken because he was calling to her. Silently, subconsciously, of course. He already held a second fragment of her power in the form of that strange device. And had given a copy of that fragment to the redhead. That amused her. He enjoyed that little program. She must have guided him through the Awakening unconsciously. Regardless of it all, he needed to let everything go. The blank zone was slowing the process, but she could do nothing about that. That was a lock he must have placed on himself, and she was uncertain what could be behind it.

What was to come next, was already going to be potentially devastating enough. No need to make a possibility a certainty, after all. She pushed upon their connection. It was time she gave a warning to the World.

After all, Chaos will do whatever it pleases…

* * *

Ino was getting a little worried. Seth was becoming more frantic and well…not very _him_ as the seconds turned into minutes. But she'd figured out what was going on with his swings. He wasn't rending _air_ with every wild slash, he was rending _space_! It was no wonder he bypassed her compression field! Even her Phasewalk trick didn't protect her fully, the spatial contortions created by his non-existent claws cutting through even her compressed states. There was a small gash on her left cheek from one of her attempts to dodge through Phasewalking. She barely noticed it, however, so focused on _not getting hit_.

She didn't have _any_ time to retaliate or even try to counter in any way. She was on the defensive, entirely. She needed time. Some breathing room. Clones wouldn't do shit, he was able to cut through them in a single swing. Most physical elements just splintered around his field, which was still active. She needed something to stop him.

And then it hit her.

She jumped back, out of the way of yet another clawed swing. A flicker of a barrier blocked the following disruption in space. As Seth leapt at her, to cover the distance between them in the blink of an eye, as he was doing this whole time, she calmed her breathing, focused her will, and gently lifted her right hand, reaching out and making a clenching motion, as if squeezing a ball.

The air around Seth buckled and suddenly space around him turned dim. He found himself unable to move, stuck in a swirling orb cage of spatial construct. While active and almost overloaded, his field still wasn't strong enough to repel the compressed space around him. The rage flowing through him flared as he realized he was helpless. And that enraged him _further._

Ino let a sigh of relief. She could take a breather for a second. Or so she thought.

A strange sensation filling the air made her head snap up to Seth's location. There was…an odd violet glow beginning to form around him. The Phaselock she placed him in seemed to shudder violently, before it _shattered_, dropping Seth to his feet.

_He…__**broke**__ it?!_

A low rumble echoed from his throat. His body seemed to shudder with palpable rage and hatred. The faint violet glow around him became a largely pronounced veil of wispy energy.

And then he _roared_.

The pressure wave that followed was _immense!_ **Everyone** was knocked off their feet by it, a spiral of violet light whipping around Seth's body, as small particles of light began to form in the air, spiraling inward like some sort of whirlpool. Slowly, the light gathered into a single point, before the point expanded outwards, hollowing internally, like a ring. The ring gave a soft pulse, and three lines emerged, forming an upside-down triangle.

From the points of that triangle, formed three more. And in the spaces around the ring, at the north, south-west and south-east sections, three more outward facing triangles formed. And then, the ring pulsed again, sending an echo of itself outwards, to encase the symbol that was always on his jacket. The light encasing the glyph seemed to shatter into small, strange squiggles.

Minnie stared in horror at the Glyph. It was different than the one at Disney Castle but even _she_ knew that **any **glyph tied to Seth was going to cause problems. The glyph pulsed once, and the still roaring Seth _leapt_ through it, the violet energy field around him compressing to his body, seeming to splinter into tiny hexagonal shapes coating his very flesh, like scales. The strange aura gave a visible glow, seeming to flow along him like a second skin. Hands and feet were encased in glowing claw shaped energy, his shoulders and forearms covered in extended glowing strands that seemed like slightly curved blades. Behind him, the glow took the shape of a long tail, thrashing about, small spikes leading downward to the tip, which had four hooked spikes coming off of it, almost like some twisted drilling mechanism.

Deep in _all_ of their hearts, they felt a primal fear unlike none ever felt before. As he roared again, the air itself _shook_, their hearts and minds with it. They didn't know what this _power_ was, but they wanted _away_ from it. Just looking at him gave them the feeling of staring into the eyes of a predator, pacing around you, deciding upon whether or not to make you its meal.

Worse…was that suddenly the air was filled with a series of distorted male voices, chanting some unintelligible language. The distortion from the voices made their hairs stand on end, as if they were listening to the very sound of _rage_ itself.

Ino was the only one who realized that once again, Seth had somehow taken control over the concept of existence in this area.

Really though? His music player had activated itself, shuffling randomly to a specific song. This device, technology from his dead world, used energy fields to transmit sound. This way, after designating a certain area of effect, music could be listened to without issue from generally anywhere. They just didn't realize the blasted thing had activated. Even with the sudden _obvious_ increase in power, if anything, Ino would have been able to fire off music by way of reality distortion.

Even so…it was fitting, for what was coming next.

**(BGM: Nier Gestalt & Replicant OST – Blu-bird)**

The shape vanished in a flicker of movement. Ino had time to make a small 'eep', before she was blown backwards by the force of his punch, the aura itself seeming to follow his will, echoing his strike.

* * *

_What?! What is-_

_**Stage Three. The Cloak of Tia.**_ The voice of the Anti-Existence seemed to be…wistful. Reverent in her tone. A hint of lust, and an obvious tone of _awe_ were present as well. She couldn't understand it. Rather, she didn't want to. Why was this…thing…this so-called Shadow of _her_…so obviously in _love_ with him? Was it truly all from suppressed emotions? Or was there something else involved?

She was shuddering violently now. Not that she really noticed. Her eyes were glazed over, tracking Seth's every move. But her body was practically _vibrating_. The telltale lines of red that signified a Resonance Reaction were flowing blindingly fast. Not half a second passed without red streaks crossing her body. Her heart was beating far beyond its normal pulse. Her body was reacting as if gripped by a primal fear, mixed with a vicious poison. But she didn't _feel_ it.

Kairi supposed that was because her Anti-Existence was so close to her now…and was _happily_ drawing in the mental pressure for herself.

_What is Stage Three._

_**Master loses himself in his emotions entirely. It's the final step in the Ritual. His wild emotions connect with the will of Tiamat, to destroy the given target. That Ino was able to push him this far…incredible. Moreso that the only damage she took was two hits. And yet she's still standing.**_

_How strong is he now?_

_**A single punch from him in this state holds enough conceptual pressure to level a building. You have to understand, however. We are not dealing with normal strength. It is not the same kind of strength that allows one to lift boulders or shatter wood. It's a strength of Intention. A strength of Desire. The Shroud that coats him is one of Destruction. If he wishes it destroyed, it will be destroyed. **__**Nothing**__** is meant to be able to stand against it. And yet Ino can. She must be even more powerful than we thought…**_

_How do you mean?_

_**Since this is a purely Immaterial strength, physical things should easily crumble. Yet she is somehow still standing. Still…she made it this far…if she can hold out just a bit longer…**_

_What? What's going to happen now?!_

_**If she can survive the next few minutes…it will be over. The threat will be gone.**_

Kairi was about to respond positively, when a carry-over of Seth's mentality struck her.

…_does that mean we'll all be dead…?_

_**Hah! Caught on did you? Even I can't say. He's only been pushed this far once before. When they almost took **__**her**__** from him.**_

…'_her'?_

_**Ino must have triggered a memory…that's the only thing that can explain this. Wild as his emotions must be, it's likely he couldn't think straight…misinterpreted something she said…**_

_Hey! Who are you talking about?!_

The voice sighed. _**You hold his memories too, and yet you do nothing with them…**_

_Just tell me!_

Out of the corner of her eye, an apparition of the Anti-Existence appeared, shaking her head. The naked Kairi clone turned her head slightly, looking at Kairi almost derisively.

_**His wife.**_

* * *

A raspy growl of rage. Left arm swung downward. Ino hopped to the side, the air literally curling from force and speed.

She'd gotten hit once, and it hurt like a _bitch_. Nope, she wanted nothing to do with getting hit again.

He lashed out a fist. The aura launched forward, spreading out in the shape of a clawed fist. She jumped to the left, the fist smashing into the wall, kicking up dust and almost breaking it in one shot. A quick thought, and a pair of spiked Chakrams formed in her hands, the girl hurling both forward at once, paying no heed to them bursting into flames. A second set appeared, she hurled those too. Same with the third and fourth sets. She doubted they'd do anything. It was just a distraction.

She couldn't read the 'lettering' on the edge of the glyph, but she noted the rotating ring of symbols was growing smaller.

Slowly.

That meant the glyph was powering a spell or enhancement, and was on a time limit. When the second outer ring connected fully with the first, the glyph would disperse, and the effect would end. Problem was, she didn't know the time limit on this enhancement. Nor did she really know what it did other than make him look like some cross between a man and a lizard…no…_dragon_ – and give him that glowing aura.

Oh and the constant feeling of 'I'm going to tear your lungs out through your asshole and shove them down your throat'. Can't forget about that.

Suddenly he stopped, growling.

…_ok…what's happening now…?_

Her answer was a small glow just to the upper left of the glyph. The glow turned into a ring, which then narrowed into a very tight vertical oval. A second ring formed around it, surrounded by a third, horizontal oval. Blinking at it, she thought it resembled an eye. There was a small symbol 'carved' in the center of what would be the 'pupil'. The symbol glowed a soft yellow.

And then he _**roared**_.

The ground _tore_ itself apart around him, shattering into particles of dust. Dust that seemed to swirl around into a tight, almost rope-like form. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to figure out what was happening now. She was answered by the rope-like dust strands lashing out and tearing through the air at her. She jerked back in surprise, but they wrapped around her arms, like coiled whips. She couldn't react in time, and they yanked her forward, where Seth's right hand was crackling with dark violet sparks of electricity. She gasped, as he _tore_ forward, a deep, gravely voice ripping from his throat.

"_**CHIDORI!"**_

The hall was blinded by the impact, the sound of hundreds of thousands of crackling, squealing volts tearing through the air. The light faded and they saw Ino crashing to the ground, body split in two; as Seth landed on the ground behind her. He growled again, before loosing another roar. But this one seemed…_angered_. Not Triumphant as they expected. The body of Ino on the ground shattered into wispy fragments, the real thing appearing away from Seth.

He growled, jumping into the air, flipping forward once, and slamming his hands – and the aura claws – onto the floor. Streams of violet electricity raced along the ground, halted when Ino stomped the floor, a pillar of stone erecting itself in front of her. Banishing the pillar after it had intercepted the streams of purple lightning, she 'eep'ed again before throwing her weight backwards, narrowly evading three glowing yellow sword shapes that screamed towards her from the air above the screeching Seth.

They all crashed into the ground, exploding in golden yellow energy fragments. He roared again. A soft red glow behind her drew her attention away from him for a moment.

A second 'eye' had opened. The red glow coming from it. She blinked, trying to understand what that meant, before Roxas' yelled sharply at her to look out. Her head snapped back around, just in time to see a _massive _fireball burning through the air at high speeds. She squealed in shock, throwing her arms up, calling out a wall of compressed space. The fireball was snuffed out, as were the second and third ones behind it. Her head gave a sudden lurch.

_O-oh crap. I think I'm overdoing it…_

But she couldn't relax. Not when a sudden shadow beneath her alerted her to the falling Seth's approach. Hands wreathed in flaming claws, he came down upon her like a bird of prey swooping upon a field mouse. Quickly, Ino swung her hands up to meet his, her own shrouded in large bubbles of freezing cold water. The claws came down upon her hands, the two locking fingers as a painfully loud hiss created by the wall of burning steam that erupted from their contact deafened the hall.

The steam cleared, showing Ino on her knees, barely holding back Seth's claws. She was panting heavily, sweat dripping down her cheeks, arms shuddering violently as if they were to break in any moment. But her will was unbroken. She grasped deep within herself, pulling forth **Lexaeus.**

To everyone's surprise, even the animalistic Seth's, a **massive** wall of energy ripped from Ino's body, taking the form of a wild, flaming aura. The moment this field emerged, Ino slowly pushed back, rising to her feet, causing Seth's eyes to widen. She stared into them, seeing surprise, but also hatred, rage, pain, sorrow, loneliness…all the things _she_ felt before her return to existence. He was still hurting, and that hurt was being radiated outward…but that was all he could feel.

Her own eyes narrowed, before she started pushing upon Seth. He struggled, pushing back, the two stepping back and forth, locked in a battle of wills, and strength. The others could only _gape_ that such a small, willowy girl could even _match_ his freakish strength. But she didn't just _match _it.

With a flare of the Aura around her, she pushed forward again, Seth being pushed downward, forced to one knee. Their positions were reversed now. But Ino knew she couldn't keep him there. You _never_ stayed near a cornered animal. There was no telling what they'd do. So instead she hopped. The imbalance of weight pushed Seth down further, to both knees. She took a second hop, using pure upper-body strength to hold herself into the air. Seth was being forced backward, into a painful looking lean, before she threw her legs over her head, yanking Seth along the ground, before _hurling _him through the air.

"HOLY SHIT!"

Was yelled by no less than four separate voices at once.

While the spectators were getting over the shock that _Ino_ had not only overpowered, but **tossed** Seth away from her, the raging man in question had recovered in the air, landing and skidding to a stop, claws carving grooves into the floor. A huff of astonishment came from his mouth, before he slammed the ground with his claws, roaring once again. A soft green glow appeared in the corner of Ino's sight, a third 'eye' opening. The girl braced herself, as Seth reared back and slashed his claws forward in an X motion, a nigh invisible wave of shredding force ripping through the air.

She threw up her arms, pulling **Xaldin** into the area around her, a swirling current of wind whipping into a frenzy as a wall of protection. The main form of the attack was blocked, but the stone pillars to her sides were deeply gouged. Her eyes narrowed. It was already dangerous enough before, but now the others were _really_ at risk. She had to keep him from using ranged attacks at all costs while in this state.

She didn't really understand what was going on, only that every time one of those colored 'eyes' appeared, he gained an element, and _insane_ control over it. The first one was lightning, she thought, but that didn't make sense. And then she remembered, he associates Earth and Lightning under the same element, with Lightning being a sub-element of Earth. So the first was Earth then. The second was obviously Fire. And this was clearly Wind.

If this was a pattern, then that meant the next to awaken would be Water, with Darkness and then Light after. And if she was right, he would cycle through all of them before the glyph faded. Still, all the other elements she could see coming, somehow. There would always be a tell of some sort. That's just how it worked. Even if he were to localize a storm of fire right on her location, the air around her would heat up a split second before it happened. But Wind was the most invisible one. It was almost like his natural Gravity powers. All you would see, if you were _lucky_ is a distortion of the air, before it was upon you.

She had to act quickly, and carefully. It was draining, keeping the Compressed Space wall around her. But…he was halfway through the glyphs timeframe. Just a little longer still…

* * *

_**Magnificent…simply magnificent…hey…do you think Ino's into girls at all?**_

_I-wh-EWW! What?! No!_

_**Oh don't be such a homophobe.**_

_I have __**nothing**__ against homosexuality in the __**slightest! **__**I**__ just don't feel that way!_

_**Clearly you do if I do.**_

Kairi could say nothing to that. The constant presence of her Anti-Existence, as well as the continued pressure upon her _being_ from Seth, was taking its toll on her. She was finding less and less reason to fight against what the other her was saying about herself.

_I…I can't think about that right now._

_**Ah well…I guess you have a point there.**_ There was no point in ribbing Kairi for now. She was finally starting to **listen**.

…_what do you know about those…eyes?_

_**The Eyes…I really don't know. Those…seem to be a new development. The glyph never did anything like that the first time around. I wonder if She's watching…**_

_..you mean…Tia?_

_**Yes. It might explain why he's able to wield elements suddenly.**_

_That's…a good point. He can manipulate them in a loose way with his powers…the tangible ones at least…but…_

_**Good, you're paying attention. That's right. His element is the Void element, the element of essentially Nothing.**_

_Like Xemnas._

_**Not quite. The Void element is a catch-all title for those who don't fall in the six main elements. The Void element covers intangible concepts like Time, Space, Gravity…things like that. In a sense, that Xigbar asshole that Sora killed was a Void elemental.**_

_Ino seems to be using Space Compression a lot…_

_**It's the best and sometimes **__**only**__** counter to Seth's natural powers. His gravity fields move things, compress them, even break them, through Space. So someone who could bend Space around them can nullify all but the most powerful gravitational fields. He'd have to compress something to the point of nearly tearing open a black hole before he could bypass a spatial compression.**_

* * *

"…she's grown…"

Roxas nodded to Ienzo's absently spoken statement.

"You mean she wasn't like this before?" Spoke the voice of Alicia, who had slipped around the edge of the Hall to the group of Ex-Organization members.

Roxas shook his head. "No…to be honest? She was probably the weakest and most unstable of all of us."

"Because she wasn't an actual…Nobody?"

"That…and she didn't have as much battle experience." Answered Isa. "The potential was there…primarily because we _put_ it there, but she was still too fresh. That she kept 'breaking' as well didn't help. But now…"

"Now she's practically a Goddess." Roxas spoke softly.

"Still got the hots for her, eh Rox?"

"Not gonna lie. I have the weirdest boner right now." Lea gave a soft chuckle. He'd have laughed harder, and much louder, but _really_ didn't want to chance Seth coming here and ripping his head off.

Or drowning him, since it seemed he was playing with Water now.

"Never expected to see her throw him like that. Hell I never expected her to be so damn ballsy…" the redhead quipped.

"She's always been ballsy. She was the first to try to leave, remember? And she was willing to fight you…and me…for what she believed in…honestly…she found her heart long before any of us did…and she was never Banished in the first place." Roxas countered softly, watching Ino fight.

The girl was swinging her own whips of water around, lashing them in random shapes and spirals, blocking rapidly fired globs of liquid from the air around Seth, while almost dancing around launched spears of ice and frost.

"And now she's matching Seth, who is quite possibly the most powerful non-god I've ever met." Alicia finished.

"How are you not terrified?" the blonde woman who was with the group asked.

"I've faced down multiple Gods, I technically died twice over, I gave my existence up to house the full power of three god-class beings fused into one, fought copies of two of the most powerful Gods of Valhalla, including its ruler, fought a copy of a false-god born from a powerful human mage, and then fought a Goddess that even Odin himself would have struggled against, and won. I'm scared, but it's a primal fear, and after all I've dealt with, I can mostly ignore it."

Alicia held out her hand, which was gently trembling.

"See? I can't ignore it entirely. My body reacts even if I'm keeping my mind from it. But…well I only just started getting to know her, but Seth spent far more time and effort to bring her back than he did me. If he had faith in her existence to screw reality the way he did, I can have faith that she can keep him busy. The Glyph seems like it's almost run its course."

The five looked at her in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

Alicia blinked. "That giant symbol in the air. It's a glyph. I don't know much about glyphs to be honest, we mostly used runes of a sort to enhance our equipment. That…bastard Lezard would probably know more. But…I know a little. I know enough to know that certain glyphs are basically tell-tales of what's going on. You notice how that bigger ring is slowly shrinking?"

They nodded. Absently at some point they'd all marked that in their minds but paid no attention to it.

"Well, from what I remember, if its doing that, it means its on a time limit. When the outermost ring touches its mirror, the glyph will fade, and the effect will end."

"What about those weird marks on the sides?" Lea asked.

"The eye looking symbols? I can't say…but they seem to be part of the glyph. Each time one appears, he gains a different elemental enhancement. Likely, he'll cycle through them all before it fades."

* * *

Ino stood her ground, panting heavily. The second Keyblade in her right hand slowly faded away. The Seventh eye had opened, and she was just barely able to keep up with him. He'd engaged a power similar to the Clock Up, moving outside the concept of normal time-space. Tapping **Luxord**, she did the same, but all of the days efforts were finally taking its toll. The glyph was just about expired. Just a few seconds more.

And then things went to shit.

**(BGM: Concealed the Conclusion: Lunar Clock – Luna Dial)**

She jerked her head to the glyph, as the 'music' flowing through the air suddenly changed. Her eyes widened as a **third** ring shot out from it, this one larger, but collapsing much faster than the others. A screech-roar from Seth, as the dragon-shaped field around him flared back to life. In seconds he had torn his way to her. She closed her eyes, accepting her death, when she was thrown to the side.

Seth barreled past her, not even trying to attack, blowing his way out the closed doors of the hall. She stumbled to her feet and raced after him.

_**Last word?!**_

_Sora! Carry me!_

As the others got over their confusion, they too ran outside, Sora lifting Kairi – as he'd sensed her intentions, though her words he couldn't hear – and carrying her with them. What they saw caused even him to despair.

"…fuck."

* * *

In the air, high above the town, Seth floated. His arms were over his head, before he spread them rapidly, as if casting something from his back. Six strands of colored light ripped from the aura around him, growing and placing themselves in six of eight directions. Above him formed a ring of light, created from the lower tips of the arrows of colored energy. Within the ring formed an **obvious** feral looking eye.

The light seemed to be sucked towards his body, as the arrows of light began rotating around the ring. The eye seemed to flare, before a massive orb of pale grey energy emerged. With a roaring yell, he slammed hands upon the orb, sending it flying down towards the town below.

"Ino…" Riku spoke hesitantly.

"I…I can't…I don't have…I can't stop that. Not something _that_ big…not with it _still growing_!" _Now_ she was terrified.

"…is this…is this it…?"

_What the HELL?!_

_**This…is the Last Word.**_

_What the __**fuck**__ is a Last Word?!_

_**A pre-programmed final intention embedded within an enhancement array. Upon the completion of the initial Intent, if the desired solution isn't reached, one final attempt is made. In this case…a final, full-power attack designed to destroy the target, and everything around it. An attack of this magnitude would easily wipe out the entire town, and much of the landscape around it.**_

_I…no…_

_**Such amazing power…oh Master…so this is what gave Elle her idea…**_

_You…you…how…_

_**Do you see now? The truth of his existence? He is **__**Destruction**__**, he is **__**Chaos**__**. You've shared his heart and yet it was Ino who could see the Truth before you could.**_

Kairi was silent. Tears flowing down her cheeks. The orb continued to grow.

…_**but it would be no use to either of us if you died here. Even should you revive…**_

The voice was…distracted.

_**No…this would be needless guilt. Hmph…for once your rejection of your feelings towards him is a good thing.**_

_Wh…what…_

_**Out of the way, idiot.**_

Kairi's body jerked _violently_ in Sora's arms. He looked down at the girl, seeing her shuddering as if she were having a seizure. But before he could open his mouth, she'd literally reached up and smacked him away, the girl falling to the ground. This caught the attention of the Restoration Committee, whom were turning around to try to evacuate the town before the orb hit, even though deep inside they _all _knew it was useless.

Slowly, jerkily, the girl rose to her feet, stumbling forward as if in a drunken stupor. Her breathing was ragged, as if she'd just run for hours, her body was twitching everywhere…she looked like a Zombie. The red streaks were flowing faster than ever before, so fast that there was only a half-second's gap between them, appearing as a near constant glow of red lines along her veins.

_**Listen carefully, Kairi. All of this…was a **__**message**__**. A message from a Goddess. He is an **__**example**__** of what happens when you improperly chain your emotions. Normally he can let them flow, but he's been so backed up to the point of near rejection that **__**this**__** was able to happen. You are doing the same thing. I exist because **__**you**__** created me, no matter what it is you want to believe. And if you keep rejecting…well…**_

_**There can only be **__**one**__** Kairi. And I'll be damned if I let **__**you**__** be the one to exist, if you can't even love **__**all**__** of yourself.**_

Kairi's head tilted upwards, eyes wider than they'd ever seen before.

"As much as We'd like for the Idiots on this world to be erased…too much death for not enough reason. We can't let you feel such needless guilt, Master. You've lost yourself…but after this…you'll be found again. Please don't become so blocked up again, Master. It hurts Us all when you do. We'll always be with you, when you need Us."

Her voice was higher pitched, reverent, _loving_.

Her eyes closed slowly, as she took a deep, shuddering breath.

_**By the way, this will hurt.**_

_Wait what-_

"_**Kamui."**_

Her left eye snapped open, flaring a blood red. Were anyone to see it directly, they'd have seen a ring of black in the dead center of her iris, three black comma shapes positioned upon the ring, tails pointed facing clockwise. The observer would then see the ring seem to rotate, the commas spinning three times, before they grew, fusing with the ring and pupil into a sort of tri-bladed pinwheel shape. Clearly unnatural, this shape would then rotate even faster.

There was a deafening **THOOM** above them, and everyone stared in shock as the orb seemed to buckle before collapsing upon itself, sucked into an _obvious_ distortion at its core. They watched the orb fold and crackle, before it vanished, the only sign of it remaining being a small ripple of distorted air that washed over them, causing nearby trees to gently sway.

Seconds passed, the group, and the townsfolk that had seen the orb of Destruction descending upon them, shocked into silence. Silence broken by Kairi giving an earsplitting scream of pain.

Her hands flew up to her left eye socket, the girl dropping to her knees, yelling her agony to the world.

_**This…is proof of my claim. Proof that you are **__**incomplete**__**. I warned you, you would need my power soon. And you will again. But that took a lot out of me. Be happy, your thoughts will be your own…for a while. I will be back again, Kairi. Try not to die until then…**_

Sora had rushed to her side, trying to get the redhead to show him whatever wound she'd somehow gotten. Slowly, as the stabbing pain faded into an irritated prickle, the girl pulled her hands away from her eye, shuddering and gasping as they were covered in blood. She could still see, even if things were a bit blurry…but…

"K-Kairi…what just happened?"

She shook her head, wincing as the motion irritated her eye and brain. Sora pulled up a corner of his shirt, dabbing at the area around Kairi's re-closed left eye, wiping away the blood.

"You gotta open your eye Kairi…I need to see if anything obvious is wrong with it."

She hesitated, clutching his shoulders…and nodded. Slowly, she opened her eye, blinking rapidly, noticing Sora jerk backward with surprise on his face.

"Wh-what?"

"I…uhh…w-well…"

"What Sora?!"

"Uhh…are you…umm, having any trouble…seeing?"

"N-No…?" She was now _very_ worried.

"A-ahh…well…uhh…it's just that…y-your eye…it's…"

Sora sighed, gathering his courage. "It's…red, Kai. Your left eye is red."

"W-well no duh-

"No…your left eye isn't _blue_ anymore. It's…red. What was blue is red."

She blinked, a pit forming in her stomach.

_A…sign of my…rejection…?_

…_what…what's happening to me…?_

* * *

While Kairi was screaming her lungs out, and bleeding all over herself, Ino had sprinted ahead to where she saw an object fall from the sky. Lo and behold after a minute of jogging, she reached the location Seth had landed, seeing the young man slowly pull himself to lean against a building's wall. Hearing footsteps, slowly, blearily, he looked up.

"Hey." Ino spoke softly.

"…hey." Was his response.

"How do you feel…?"

"…like shit."

Ino gave a half smile. "Yeah…you would."

"…sorry about your jacket thing…"

"eh?" She looked down. Her cloak was in tatters, burnt in places, frayed in others. It barely resembled clothing any longer. She shrugged and unzipped it, before tossing it away.

Seth blinked. "…triangle bikini top…?"

Ino flushed slightly but shrugged. "If I wear an actual shirt under that thing it gets too stuffy. And it's not like I've had time to go shopping for clothes or anything. And…even though I'm only supposed to have battle information from her, Larxene's data says that wearing any _normal_ bra for an extended period of time, let alone in a fight, would start hurting after a bit. At least with this, I can get a nice soft material that won't dig into my skin if I have to move around a lot."

"heh…you know me…any reason for a girl to go shirtless is fine by me." He said tiredly.

Ino rolled her eyes.

"You gonna be ok?"

He nodded. "I think so. I can still feel it all…bubbling at the back…but it's quieter. It won't go away until I address it but…I'm alright now."

She kneeled next to him, wiping the dirt off his cheeks. Slowly, and to her surprise, he reached up and the cut on her face. "…sorry."

She blinked at him. "Eh? Oh…it'll go away by tomorrow. I kinda had to push myself more towards not getting hit than healing myself."

"…still."

"Don't worry about it, ok?"

He nodded, and the two fell silent again. The sounds of murmurs coming from the town square, which wasn't far from where they were gave them a quiet ambience.

Slowly, an impulse built within her heart. On instinct she lowered herself, reaching for him and wrapping her arms around his torso, leaning into his shoulder. She sighed in contentment.

He gave a gentle huff.

"…you did good, Ino. You did good."

Smiling into his shoulder, she squeezed him slightly, reveling in the acknowledgement.

* * *

**A/N: **And here we have it. Crazy action, explanations, and Ino shows her stuff. Those that think Ino or Seth is suddenly overpowered, i point to Borderlands 2's Lilith. I wont say for risk of spoilers, but after seeing what she did at a certain point in the story? Basically all on her own only with a bunch of god-powered rocks to supercharge her? Yeaaaah fuck all the haters.

I'll explain a bit here: Ino is as powerful as she is now because she was "born" with the powers of all 13 Organization members inside her. she can access ALL of their powers, at any time, in any combination. She is, quite possibly, even more deadly than Seth.

Some people might have an idea of who that strange being was, that could see Seth's Existence. i wont say anything, cause it's kinda obvious. also, by next chapter, we'll have officially hit the halfway point in my plot! Victoly!

**The Pyromaniac Druid:** Thank you for the praise! I try my best. The Imari is indeed the same as the Tailed Beast Ball. I named it after what the "original" name for the TBB was. Anti-Kairi AND Miri can use techniques similar to that of Bayonetta. There is a reason for this. Also damn right she does!

**GodofLazors: **hot naked women all over the place. cant go wrong with that. As you can see, i've punched the writer's block in the face. this took me a couple weeks to craft together but ultimately this slab of pure awesome is what i needed to get back in the groove. i wont give a time frame for the next chapter, cause it'll be done when it's done, but i've already started work on it. cant promise it'll be THIS long, but...well, the story's just going to get more insane.

Jesus H...still cant believe i've written over 20k for this, and that's before author's notes. ahh well. cant be helped.


	12. Shinobi

"…eh? What's this?"

Sitting on the grey circular table in his planning room, were three small rectangular shaped colored objects. Each one seemed to have a strange glittery film over them, with a single letter imposed on the front side.

_**DON'T TOUCH THEM!**_

Hades jumped back, surprised at the voice's volume. "Gah! Dammit lady don't do crap like that!"

_**Destroy those objects. Now!**_

"Whoa-whoa-whoa don't get your toga twisted now. What-

_**NOW!**_

"Sheesh alright, alright…" The blue skinned God took a final glance at the strange devices before snapping his fingers. A wall of blue fire erupted around the three objects, which lasted for a minute, before fading away, showing nothing but a scorch mark on his table.

"Now would you be so kind as to explain to me why I just ruined my perfectly good table?"

_**Those devices are things that should not exist. Especially not here. This…is troubling.**_

"And those were…? Y'know I swear the blue one said 'Ice Titan' on it."

_**Those are things that are not meant to be. Something must be wrong…**_

"Yeah I got that part."

…_**ugh you won't do anything I say until I tell you. They're called Gaia Memory. They are small objects that contain the conceptual memory of a given thing. Literally everything that has to do with that concept, is sealed within those devices. But they are a class of magical technology that this world **__**does not have access to**__**. Something is wrong here. Go…go outside. I cannot see anything that you aren't near.**_

"What's the point? Got rid of them didn't we? I don't see what's so bad about those things. Sounds useful."

_**Those were a special type of Gaia Memory. If a compatible wielder touches it, pressing the little white mark on the front, it will activate, and merge. That wielder will then be overwhelmed by the immaterial concept of what lies within. To the point where their form may very well change to match what was locked inside. **__**Nothing**__** is immune. The concept's existence will warp the wielder's mind until it matches the concept itself. This is a bad thing, because **__**anyone**__** could be a potential user. Animals, Humans, even **__**Gods**__**.**_

"Eesh. Alright so they're more trouble than they're worth. Doesn't explain why I should be leaving my cozy little spot since you _still_ won't let me do anything."

_**Because while you may be God of the Underworld, you are still a God tied to this world. If something goes wrong here-**_

"Yeah yeah I get it…lose my believers lose myself blah-blah-blah I know. Fine…"

* * *

…_what the Me…?_

Standing on the other side of a group consisting of Hercules, Megara, Hera and Zeus himself…

Was Hades.

"Well…not what I expected to see when I went for a stroll."

The group whirled around.

"Oh for the love of…Why are there _two_ of you now?!" Megara, also known as Meg, exclaimed.

"Hey hey, easy sweet-cheeks. I just got here."

Indeed. And suddenly, both Hades clutched their chests in pain.

"Grrhk…what the…"

_**I was afraid of this…**_

"What's…happening to me…?!"

_**That other you, is someone under the influence of a Gaia Memory. Don't bother trying to fight them, they know everything you know. Essentially, they are your mirror image. The only thing they don't have is me speaking to them. The pain in your chest, both of you, is due to this world being confused. It is rejecting you both.**_

"What…"

_**What that means for you, Hades, is that your concept of existence is being **__**denied.**__** There cannot be **__**two**__** Hades allowed in this world. Only one. And because of there now being two of equal strength and station, the World is trying to flush you both, and whoever succumbs first, will be erased, while whoever **__**doesn't**__** will be accepted as Hades.**_

"But…I'm the real…"

_**You are a God, Hades. Though obviously a very poor excuse for one. You **__**should**__** know that the World acts upon the immaterial. It doesn't matter who is 'real' or who is 'first.' It has a designation, there is a God of the Underworld, and his name is Hades. He has a specific energy pattern that you **__**both**__** share. Thus something is **__**wrong**__**, and like a living body, it will purge itself of the wrongness until things are back to normal. The world does not think like a mortal, or you, at all. It thinks like a World. You must flee, for now. And no, not back to the Underworld.**_

"What?! Where-

_**Find him, Hades. That young warrior. Seth. You must ask for his help in this nature. He has the power to destroy Gaia Memory that has been activated. The longer you stay, the faster this world will purge you. If you leave, the effects will lessen dramatically, because you will not be in its sensory range. It will still try to erase the idea of a "Second Hades" but if you are away from its core, its attempts will be weakened.**_

"Dammit…" He glared at his counterpart, who was looking rather confused, and angry.

"This. Isn't. _Over!_"

And with a poof of smoke, Hades left Olympus.

To request the services of a passing through Kamen Rider.

**Kingdom Hearts Re: Order**

**Chapter XI: **_**Shinobi**_

The man before her was a disgustingly vile piece of work. Hatred flared in the back of her mind, as her face betrayed her true feelings with a false, teasing smile. His gelled back blonde hair seemed to glow in the dim light of the hotel room he had rented for the night's purposes. She giggled absently, timing the false sound of joy with yet another belittling joke he spoke.

She lost herself in her thoughts, body moving on auto-pilot, thinking back to how it came to this point…

* * *

Silence.

They all stared at her in mild shock and horror.

She must have looked a sight.

"Y-Yuffie! What happened to you?!" Aerith called out, ever the concerned one.

But Yuffie didn't answer. She simply slipped past the reaching arms of the motherly brunette – with a mental apology. This really couldn't wait. – and continued on her chosen path. Her target, a young man with black hair that reached just past his neck. As if sensing her, he turned, dark brown eyes gazing upon her silently, with a bored, disinterested air. A single eyebrow quirked upward, the only outward sign of his vague interest.

She kneeled down, ignoring the smell of blood that coated her chest, face, arms and legs.

"It has been done…Shishou."

He positioned his arms behind his back, standing straighter. "Indeed?"

A cold wave washed over her, Miri appearing next to her by way of Dark Corridor.

"What say you?"

The small silver-white haired child nodded. "The target has been eliminated."

Seth nodded. "I see. Very well. And of your secondary task…?"

Miri nodded again, holding her hand out, where of all things, a _heart_ formed. "There was just enough."

"Good. Miri."

She locked eyes to him.

"Consume."

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, opening her mouth wide. The Heart floated up, seeming to shrink slightly as it crest her tiny lips, before she snatched it within her maw, gulping it down. As always, Miri gave a violent shudder as pure Darkness rippled off of her body, before it settled. She gave a soft sigh, before once again locking eyes with Seth.

He nodded at her, before turning to Yuffie once again.

"You have succeeded in your task. You have proven your determination to follow this path. I have given my warnings, yet you still decided to continue. I will not insult your desire by attempting to dissuade you any further. It has been decided. I will train you in what I know of the Shinobi Arts."

"I am yours to command, Shishou."

"Tell me. Was that your first kill?"

Gasps. _That_ is why she was covered in blood?!

Silently, Yuffie nodded.

"Your feelings?"

"I am without problem."

Seth gave an empty huff.

"The truth."

"…I feel…sick. Her death will set others free from her binds of tyranny but…"

"Good."

Yuffie sharply looked up at him, with immense surprise. "Shishou?"

His eyes were closed, as if looking at a past memory. "Whether the target deserves its end or not…that sick feeling…the feeling of being dirty…fouled…that must _always_ stay with you." He opened her eyes, Yuffie letting out a huff of air resembling a stifled gasp.

There was immense pain in them.

"Hold on to that feeling, Yuffie. Fear losing it. Fear becoming numb to it. That feeling is what chains us to our humanity. We may be murderers, we may be killers, for the good of many, or even the good of one…but if we ever lose that feeling, then…we will become the very monsters we slay."

The way he spoke…felt as if he had experienced it himself.

"I…"

"And once one steps upon the path to becoming a monster…it is very difficult to remove oneself…back to the path of Humanity. Do not make my mistake, Yuffie."

Her eyes widened. _His…but he's no…_ "Y-yes…I promise…Shishou."

"Good."

His stance, previously weakened, lost in his memories, strengthened again. The others, appalled at the very _idea_ of what just happened, wanted to speak, move, do _something_! But Ino, Naminé, Miri, Kairi, and surprisingly enough, Lea, barred the way. Seth began to pace in front of Yuffie, whom was still kneeling.

"You have chosen to become a Ninja. I do not know what your training or purpose was like prior to this. I know only what I know. You _will_ become Ninja. Upon the completion of your training, you will swear loyalty to only two beings. Loyalty to your Princess. She is your God. She is your Leader. You will be her right hand. Her desires are your desires. Her will is your will. You will be her Shadow. You will know every word she speaks, every breath she takes, every _moan_ she makes. (Kairi flushed at that.) While she is upon this world, nothing will happen to her without you knowing it."

Yuffie nodded.

"You are her sword, her shield. If she demands you kill, you will kill, even your best friend, without hesitation. You will be her blade, her confidant, her advisor. You will be the eyes where she cannot see, the ears where she cannot hear. You are, first and foremost, her protector. You are second, her assassin."

Yuffie nodded again.

The others were stunned. Even Kairi was a little imbalanced, though her heart was racing. She tried to push it away, she truly did. But seeing Seth like this…it wasn't rare to see him take command of a situation…but she'd _never_ seen him in full on "Master" mode.

No wonder her Anti-Existence was so drawn to him. Even _Riku_ never held that…confident…commanding presence.

"The techniques I will teach you, can be used against monstrous foes, such as Heartless, Nobodies, and other such inhuman creatures. But they are, first and foremost, the most effective against, and meant for, combat against other humans. I am not teaching you how to kill actual monsters. I am teaching you how to _destroy_ monsters in human flesh. Humanity is a plague. You will be the vaccine against it. I will teach you how to **kill**. You have proven your determination with your first kill on your own. It was bloody, messy, and you will likely have nightmares for days, if not weeks."

Yuffie nodded again.

The others were _disgusted_ with him. But unconsciously, they too nodded. They've all killed another human being before. And they all had nightmares about it at many points. Despite their disgust, they found themselves all admiring that he was laying it out for Yuffie plainly. No veiled concepts, no hidden agendas, just straight truth.

"I will teach you how to move without sound, stand without being seen. I will teach you how to blend into a crowd, how to have your target staring right into your eyes and have no idea that his death is approaching. You will learn to be, yet not be. You will be a Shadow upon the wall, the demon hiding in the closet, the monster beneath the bed. I will teach you to _move_. To not be where an attack is meant to be, and if you have no choice but to be present, how to minimize the damage."

Yuffie nodded again.

"By the end of this, you will know more ways to kill than most any other being upon this world. And as such, you will know just as many ways to _not_ kill. You will become a being of will, your foes existence being determined upon your desires. You will be Death from all directions. The world will know of you, but never your name. You will be the phantom that draws all into oblivion."

Another nod.

"Yuffie Kisaragi. Rise."

She did so, locking eyes with Seth.

"You have taken the first step onto a dark, dangerous path. I may be your teacher, but I am also your friend. Do not be afraid to ask questions, speak to me about concerns of yours, or just to vent. Ino will also be available should I be not. If even for a moment, you find yourself being swallowed by the Darkness of the path you walk, come to one of us. We will teach you how to master it."

She nodded.

"The others may know of your path, know of your future, but they do not truly know what it means. Only you will. And it should remain that way. I will designate one or two more people who will be allowed to know the _true_ depths of your training, but only _we_ will know the absolute maximum. A Ninja's first and most powerful tool is misdirection. None save for yourself, and your Master, are to know the true limits of your capabilities. Even upon your training's completion, not even your Princess will know **all** that you are capable of. When I'm done with you, you will be a credible threat to every single living being in this room, possibly even myself."

She blinked. Was that…truly important?

"After all, you may never know when you must kill, or at the very least, disable, even your own allies. A Ninja must be ready to fight even one's own friends. There must be no hesitation in you, should such a time pass. We deal with beings capable of mind-control, possession, even full-conceptual mimicry. What you might think could be your friend, might very well be an assassin in disguise. By the end of your training, you will have little to fear, secure in your knowledge both of yourself, and the world around you. You will not be invincible, but should Death once again attempt to claim you, you will most _certainly_ be able to give her Hell before she succeeds."

Yuffie nodded sharply. She understood.

"I see you are fully prepared. Very well. Get cleaned off, and meet me outside town. Your training will be brief today, to compensate for your recent task."

She nodded once again. "Thank you, Shishou."

"I am a harsh taskmaster, but I am not without heart, despite what your allies may believe. You will be pushed to your limits and beyond, but you will not be broken. Now go. And dress comfortably."

She was turning to leave, when she stopped.

"Shishou…who is the second being I am to be loyal to?"

Everyone heard it in their minds. They all had already decided who the second was going to be. After all, who else was teaching her?

That is why, they all were surprised at his response.

"Yourself."

* * *

Her training had been brutal. And she wasn't the only one being trained on some days. Sometimes Ino, Kairi, Alicia…even Aqua would join in. He procured scrolls of techniques, each one describing an ability, teaching the motions to use it, and how to create the tools required for its use. The Ninjutsu he taught her was more than simple smoke-and-mirrors techniques used by the younger members of the Kisaragi clan.

He gave her scrolls containing techniques such as the Utsusemi, a technique that used a paper decoy to project hazy images of the user. Sounding completely worthless, what it actually did was allow for the user to transfer an incoming attack to the scrap of paper, the image fading away like a mirage upon impact. Seth described it as **the** most useful combat ability of a Ninja.

And after learning it, and being able to wield it in a training spar against Alicia a few times, Yuffie had to agree.

There were downsides, weaknesses to the technique. It was possible for a high-powered technique to consume one or more 'images' in a single strike, and some that could completely bypass the 'clones' created. They were unlike the clones Larxene or Ino could create, they were only semi-solid, decoys to absorb a single hit before fading away like a mirage.

But it wasn't just techniques. Seth would nearly _crush_ her underneath his gravitational field, as resistance training. The increased weight upon her whole body forced her to work harder for every breath, every step, even every _thought_. He didn't do it every day however, noting that too much pressure of the like would possibly risk her heart or lungs to explode. But he was able to do it far more often than would normally be suggested, because of the healing magic they had access to.

"_Whatever muscles get torn or damaged in any way can be healed quicker. You can be pushed farther, for longer, because we can undo the damage in no time at all. Your training would be much different if this wasn't the case. What this means for you is you'll hurt more at a time, but the hurt will be lessened faster, later."_

The others that joined, would be subjected to the same thing as well. Aqua noted one day that this was an unorthodox method.

"_Listen, Yuffie is pretty much the only ninja in this group. The thing is, there __**might**__ be others, even on this world. Better for you to know how to combat one, even if their techniques are different."_

He had explained to Yuffie, and the others that were present the day Kairi made a complaint about the constant pressure fields, that a Ninja's most valuable combat trait besides misdirection, was their speed.

"_Ninja aren't meant to so much __**eat**__ damage as they are to evade it. The most important thing to a ninja is to simply not be where an attack is landing. And in order to do that, one must be fast. Some attacks can't be evaded, or have secondary effects. This is where the resistance training comes in. A ninja can be fast as hell, but if they're so weak that a single strike will lay them out completely, then it's only a matter of time. A tanky opponent can easily weather the many strikes of a ninja, and simply wait and watch for an opening, or memorize the pattern."_

When asked why he allowed Kairi and some others to join in on occasion, he had an odd response.

"_For Red, consider this a down payment on my promise to train you. I need to focus on Yuffie for now, but soon your time will come. You being here and learning some of this, will mean not only do you know more about Yuffie's skill set, for when she becomes your guardian, but also means I'll have to do __**less**__ to get you at a preferable level when I finally __**do**__ get to train you. For the rest of you…well, you're all reasonably strong in your own ways, but more training, especially __**different**__ training, always helps. Plus, I traveled alongside three women for the most part. And each one had a different style of combat. But out of all of them, you all mostly fit Elle's body type. So I can only really teach you one style. But that's fine. Any __**one**__ of them could have taken you all out in a single strike."_

Other techniques in the scrolls he had, were ones that could turn her invisible to almost all sight except for special magical sights that saw things through different means; ways to disable and kill without touching the opponent, such as poison, paralysis, even how to entangle the target's nervous system in such a way that their movements were sluggish and slow. Tonko, Dokumori, Monomi, Hojo, Jubaku, Kurayami…Invisibility, Poison, becoming Soundless, Slowing the target, Paralyzing them, blinding them…

The way his ninja were, they used many different tricks to turn the tide of battle in their favor.

"_Get it out of your mind right now: Ninja are __**not**__ honorable. They have their own code of honor, but ultimately, to engage a ninja in a fight to the death, is to ask for death. Ninja do not give second chances. If their target comes at them with the intent to kill, they will exploit every opening, they will strike swiftly, without recourse. You will be called 'dirty', 'tactless', 'dishonorable', 'unfair', and more. But to a ninja, __**everything**__ is fair game. A poisoned needle made to weaken the respiratory system, a handful of sand thrown into the opponent's eyes to blind them, a long string to trip them up…no method of combat is unavailable to a ninja. Your task is to disable or kill your target in whatever way is possible, in the most efficient and effective manner._

_A ninja has flashy moves to the outsider, but each one only __**appears**__ to be showy. Each move must be meticulous, perfectly executed, and delivered without hesitation. A ninja's number one goal in battle is not victory, but merely not to die. The only time it is acceptable to stand and fight when you should truly be running, is if your Charge is at risk, and you need to buy time for them to clear the area. Otherwise? Your survival is top priority. You cannot ensure the life of your Charge if you are dead, after all."_

Over the weeks of her training, he taught her many things. He listened to her ideas whenever she asked about merging certain maneuvers together, he _talked_ with her. With all of them. It was a side that only Ino, Kairi and Naminé had seen. The **true** side of Seth. The teacher, the friend, the instructor, the confidant. He taught her, taught _them_ so much. Even how to walk on water.

"_Ok, I can do it because of my gravity field. But I am going to show you how to use various elements to keep yourself afloat on top of water. Also if any of you have problems swimming, speak to me after this and I'll help you learn. But anyway. With My power it's easy. Light can do it as well, but you have to learn how to separate it into its two components of Wind and Fire. Once you do that, wielding the element of Wind, you can sort of create a platform of Air beneath your feet to keep you from sinking. Water has it easiest because you can just make it not draw you in. I'll take a few questions, and then get to explaining how to do it."_

* * *

She was brought out of her musings by the man removing his tie. Her body shuddered with anticipation. The drug should have kicked in by now. She'd even given it an extra half-hour past its activation time. Now was the time to finish the job. She gave an empty giggle, the lack of emotion within unheard by the drunken, lust-filled man before her. Slowly, tantalizingly, with methodical, teasing steps; she moved towards her prey, the man never once expecting an assassin hidden in the garb of a beautiful young woman.

As the silky looking kimono dropped from her shoulders, hidden beneath false joy, a glint of giddiness appeared, unrelated to what the _man_ thought was going to come. This man was a horrible blight upon the World, his end would be _quite_ welcome, the target before her having taken to girls just entering their teens, giving them everything they wanted, and then taking _them_ for himself.

Oh his misdeeds were hidden well, the girls were often drugged heavily, or knocked unconscious, before he acted, a vague, unexplained soreness in their lower bodies being the only remnant hint of his foul actions. And he always plotted his targets carefully. It wouldn't do to ensnare the Mayor's daughter or someone equally as important. No…he picked the poorer, the struggling, the clearly confused and uncertain, for his focuses.

The dregs, essentially, as the higher class people considered them. Girls that nobody but themselves and their families – if even that – would care about.

Oh she would _enjoy _this…

* * *

He'd taught them many things. But one of the most prominent for Yuffie, was the art of Seduction.

"_You're a woman. It's sexist, stupid, disgusting, and horribly demeaning, but to most men and even some women, that makes you pretty much an object to lust after. But, you are also a Kunoichi. As such, most seduction missions are of female to male, and get sent down to your class of warriors. You must learn the ways of the flesh, how to tease, how to befuddle and ensnare the target's emotions. Whether or not you have to give yourself fully to the target, before you end them, will remain to be seen, but the intent is to __**avoid**__ having to go that far. I can teach you some, the general things, but deeper specifics will have to be taught by another._

_Always remember, your body is your weapon. Every hair, every nerve, every single aspect of your body is a deadly force waiting to be unleashed. Some would attempt to shame you for acts of seduction, they are fearful fools. Your choices are your own, what you do with your body is ultimately up to you, as is how you wield it. There are ways to bring a man or woman to the brink of sanity by touch alone, without even removing a single article of clothing. With, and without respective drugs to assist. You will __**master**__ these. And you will learn when, and how, to employ them."_

But it wasn't just him who taught her…them. It was someone unexpected.

"_I'll do it." The blonde woman spoke._

_Yuffie stared, blinking. "Tell him I'll be there tomorrow afternoon. No payment."_

_She just nodded._

It was _Larxene_. Or rather, **Arlene**, the woman who became that Nobody. It was a surprise to all of them, even Ino, who had met the woman once, that she knew _anything_ about the subject.

"_Larxene did stuff like this all the time. It was a sort of…game for her." The blonde woman claimed._

_Seth merely rose an eyebrow. "Disassociating yourself with what your Nobody did? Unhealthy."_

_Arlene glared but ultimately lowered her head. Seth sighed and she flinched slightly as his hand gently gripped her shoulder. She didn't want to see it._

_But he forced her to look at him anyway. And to her surprise, there was no __**judgment**__ there._

"_I understand. I don't know you. I don't know Her. And I know neither of your stories. But your reasons are your own. I suppose we could consider your time as Larxene a completely different life. You are here of your own will, to help. Thank you."_

_Yuffie gave a half grin, as Arlene's eyes seemed to shimmer. It looked like yet another was exposed to the True nature of Seth. He seemed to have that way of making you feel wanted._

_And damn if he ever gave you the feeling otherwise._

* * *

Slowly, quietly, she slipped through the back alleys of Radiant Garden. In only a few minutes of travel, she had reached the Gathering Hall, where Seth was waiting. Slipping in through one of the higher windows, she dropped down and landed in a crouch. The others turned to her for a moment, before going back to their conversations. Despite its initial creation as a sort of 'Mission Control', it had turned into a minor hang-out location for the various groups that had gathered for the defense of the city.

It had taken her a little longer than she intended, to report back. But she had to play the part of 'hysterical courtesan' for the official documents.

"Welcome back, 'Ayane'."

He greeted her with a wry smile. Yuffie grinned back.

While he was indeed a harsh taskmaster, and the few assassination missions she was sent on, he gave her with the most serious of commands, ultimately, he was a personable trainer. They would often joke, smile, and laugh together; a far cry from what anyone would expect of the man who killed her mercilessly only weeks prior. She had long since accepted that it was nothing personal. She died, because she was too weak to stand up to a fragment of his true focus.

He was no god, though even she would have to claim he was close. He was merely powerful, tricky, and had an ironclad determination that took a **lot**, or a very specific set of events to erode. He had risen from self-loathing – though some was still present, as is the case for even the most confident – from weakness and fear, to strength and confidence. He was a planner, a tactician of unorthodox methods, though he was the type to best plan in the moment, when it came to battle. But his unique power was far too much for Yuffie to handle, back then.

But under his tutelage, she _grew_ by leaps and bounds. She was twice as fast as she was when they first fought. He had to actively keep a restriction field up in order to match her movements. As it was, in their most recent spar, he tested her abilities with the Shadow state of his Heartless Form. She was just a bit too slow to keep up with him for very long while he was in that state, but with the Haste Materia, she was much faster. The only thing that kept him from needing to Clock Up, he had told her, was that he knew her fighting style well enough to predict her next move on occasion.

"_But really, not many people will be able to rely on that. Unless they're precogs. The tricky bastards."_

'Ayane' was the cover name she was going under. She had died her hair a light purple, wore red contact lenses as well as applied a specific type of makeup to grant herself paler looking flesh. They had crafted a false identity for her, being a courtesan of great renown, never having failed to 'please' a client. She was pricy as hell, and often got 'requests' for out-of-town jobs.

In actuality, 'Ayane' didn't exist, but nobody knew that, and according to official job records, 'Ayane' was quite well off, but didn't spend her hard-earned money on many lavish things. Merely well crafted outfits for her jobs.

The dye that Yuffie had used was of a special make that would wash out with a specific type of shampoo. Not a trace of the hair color would be left on her, after the day was done, though the reason behind creating such an effective disguise was so she would be able to wield it again, should the need arise.

"_As a ninja, it always helps to be able to be another person when the time calls for it. Some places might not be accessible by 'Yuffie'. But a different woman from a different background might be able to go where 'Yuffie' cannot. The tricky part is keeping yourself from giving any hints that you know things that only one of your other personae should know. Which is why its best to always have an out."_

"I take it the mission was successful."

"Yes Shishou. William Harrod has been gathered into the embrace of the Fair Lady."

Seth nodded. "And the conditions?"

"Met in full. Official reports will state that he suffered an unfortunate heart attack due to high blood pressure."

"Well done."

The mission was to kill this man without spilling a drop of blood. Most poisons she currently could make on her own tended to cause hemorrhaging somewhere in the body, which would lead to a tell of someone coughing up blood. Even combined with a paralyzing agent, the body would still spasm as either the brain or heart were attacked by the poison. Thus, her most potent poisons were out. So, she put to use her training in seduction. By posing as 'Ayane', and being hired by the man (who didn't _just_ like freshly teenage girls) she was able to slip a different drug in his drink. One that would trigger a seizure in his heart should its rate exceed a generally set level.

All it took was to kill time, and then tease him enough to get him excited. The drug did the rest. His heart gave out on him, and he perished, not a single drop of blood leaving his body.

"Very well…Rise, Yuffie Kisaragi."

She did so. The conversations came to a stop.

"With this, you have reached the final stages of your training. You are now ready for the final techniques I can teach you." He reached out, a single scroll appearing in his hand with a small ripple of air. He handed it to her.

"Within contains refinement techniques that cause your current abilities to have greater effects, for the same cost. Contained within are also techniques that teach you how to wield your abilities better in such a way that the cost to you is reduced, if only slightly. Tomorrow, I will teach you the **Final** **Technique** of the Ninja. Rest for today. You have done well."

"Thank you Shishou."

* * *

"Ahhh…"

A content sigh from Seth resounded once again through the bathroom. Miri was already with him, settling in, playing with a tiny Shadow heartless that was paddling around like a duck. She was giggling at its wiggling antennae, as it bobbed around the whirlpool bath. Seth just sat there, Miri in his lap, watching her toy around and splash with the tiny ant-like baby creature. Eventually she pat it on the head and dismissed it, before leaning into his chest.

"Have fun?"

She nodded. She could speak, and she could speak well. But to one another, unless it was important or otherwise valid, she let the pulses of her energies do the talking for her. Ultimately, while she had his vocabulary, she only felt the need to speak when it was required.

"So Miri, what do you think of Yuffie?"

The girl wiggled a bit, getting comfortable, and then spoke softly.

"She is…troubled."

"Is she slipping?"

Miri shook her head. "Not her duty…personal life."

"Lack of it?"

Another head shake. "Specific people. She is beginning to think like us."

"Ahh…I see. Starting to see them as people and not…beacons, or icons. Is there any trace of contamination?"

She shook her head again. "She isn't a fan of killing, but she understands that it better to be them, than unrelated others."

"And it's not…pushing her?"

"She doesn't enjoy it. She will do it, because it must be done. But she doesn't derive any form of pleasure beyond the satisfaction that others are safe, from it."

"Less the killing, more the removal of the threat."

Miri nodded. "She will send them to the oblivion she once knew, if it keeps whom she cares for, safe."

"Anything else I should know?"

"She is coming to enjoy your presence more and more. Not just the lessons, but you. I cannot be certain but there may be some romantic feelings brewing within her. At the moment it is too clouded by other things to be truly visible."

"I…see…"

And there it was again. She didn't turn to him, but Miri frowned. Every time the thought of someone loving him appeared, it was quickly drained away. She'd done some silent digging while he slept, but she couldn't tell _why_ he unconsciously fought against the concept of being loved. It was a strange dichotomy. He was fine with loving others, but when he thought of being loved back, it was…well she couldn't tell what it was. It was some strange unconscious mixture that included fear…for whatever reason.

"Well…I doubt that'll happen."

Miri simply squeezed his leg and went with it. The source would reveal itself soon enough. She was patient. Still, she was glad he wasn't as blocked up as before. She hadn't told him yet, but she felt something _outside_, touch him, the day he let everything out on Ino. Something old, ancient, familiar but at the same time un. It bypassed every defense she mustered, as if it knew all the backdoors into his mind.

And when she **felt** the power coming off of him, she realized, the presence probably _did._ It didn't last for very long. It came, added to Miri's internal pressure pushing him to let it all go, and then left when the walls broke down.

She got a face-full of the blank spot, when it happened. And she realized, she didn't like it. At all. It wasn't _doing_ anything, just existing. But merely by existing it was warping him. Miri fully believed that it was that empty spot, that space of non-existence, that was the reason why he unconsciously pushed away the thought of being loved. But she had no proof. And she didn't even know if he knew it was there.

But she didn't want to worry him needlessly. For all she knew it was there by his own making. So for now, she would keep an eye on it.

"Think she'll be able to handle the last move?"

Miri nodded absently. Something was tickling her senses. Almost like a voice over a long distance.

"You alright?"

She blinked, before standing. No…it _was_ a voice. And it was calling her. Not just a voice. **Intention**. She frowned. It was stressed. And she could tell where it was. Silently, without saying anything, she gathered the shadows around her, vanishing into a Dark Corridor.

Seth simply blinked. _That was odd…_ He mused. _Ah well. She'll let me know if it's terribly important._

* * *

"Hey…Yuffie…do you have a minute?"

The Kunoichi-in-training turned to the direction of the voice of Leon. She was just finishing re-sealing her various weapons back into their locations on her arms. Seth had procured an old scroll detailing a method of using arrays of lettering to create makeshift glyphs with the purpose of storing objects within. Even Seth wondered where he was pulling these things from.

"_Seriously. Last I remember was being given a bunch of scrolls but they were a pain in the ass to lug around. Hell when the world ended I don't remember being anywhere __**near**__ where I left them! Shit I don't even know __**when**__ I managed to make a damn Vector Trap in the first place! Gah…I think this is how __she__ felt…"_

Glyph inscription required two things: Imagination, and dexterity. While Seth lacked an _overt_ level of dexterity, that most glyph makers held, he had more than enough imagination to make up for it. With his powers over gravity, all he had to do was _imagine_ how the glyph was supposed to look, and his powers would do the rest. It was extremely useful, and made packing for trips so much easier.

"_I imagine they work on a similar principal to my Vector Trap. Living things wouldn't be good to seal in them because lack of air and whatnot…unless you were somehow to make a seal that did that…fuck if I know."_

Checking her arms and legs – Seth told her to put a couple on her legs too, just in case she couldn't reach her arms or needed a backup weapon – and noting the seals fading into her skin, she nodded to herself, before turning back to Leon.

"Yeah sure."

He beckoned her to the inner hall, where the rest of the Restoration Committee were waiting. Immediately she subconsciously went on guard. The air around them was…tense. Save for a brief moment where her eyes narrowed, she gave no true outward sign of noticing the tension.

"What's up?"

Leon gave a subtle nod to Aerith. This type of thing he'd probably bull-rush through. Best to let a more sensitive person deal with it. The woman saw his motion and stepped forward.

"Yuffie…we're…well we're worried about you."

The Kunoichi blinked. "…eh?" Not what she was expecting.

"You've…been doing a lot of dangerous things lately. We're worried for your health."

Oh. _That's_ what this was about.

The first hint they'd perhaps made a mistake, was that Yuffie didn't react at all as they expected to. She didn't get defensive. She didn't start trying to make any sort of explanation. Instead, she just glared at Aerith, hard enough for the brunette to take a step back; and pulled her shirt down slightly. Keeping eyes locked on Aerith, Yuffie reached up to her left breast, a small black symbol encased in a ring of squiggly lines appearing; and she tapped it, a small pulse seeming to ripple before a small device seemed to materialize from the miniature crest.

The others blinked, especially at the hard gaze on Yuffie's face. She rotated a small knob on the device, before clicking the top button. A moment later, the sound of murmurs, as if many people were talking in low voices, accompanied by the clinking of dinnerware, echoed through the hall. A few seconds of this, and then voices, clear as day rang out.

"_Are you certain we won't be overheard?"_ Spoke a male.

"_Positive." _Spoke a woman.

"_Alright. Why did you call me here then?"_

"_Relax William. Come, enjoy your steak. When was the last time we simply had dinner like this?"_

"_When you divorced me."_

A sharp laugh. _"Fair enough. I called you here because I have a proposition for you."_

Silence.

"_Did you hear that the Princess has returned?"_

"…_yes. What is your point?"_

"_Well, with the Princess back, and likely soon to take her place as Ruler, she is going to need a good advisory council, won't she?"_

"_Get to the point Maria."_

"_Fine fine…spoilsport. My point is, this is our chance to __**take over**__."_

"_That's not even possible. The Restoration Committee is good friends with the Princess. __**Very**__ good friends. They'd be her council if anything."_

"_Yes…but what if something were to __**happen**__ to them? Something __**permanent**__."_

"…_are you shitting me, Maria? Every single one of them is a seasoned fighter, dedicated to the defense and protection of this town and its people. They were the only ones to survive when this world was overrun by Heartless two years ago. And they __**took it back**__. Going up against them is suicide."_

"_Directly, yes…but there are ways around that. Your point about them being friends with the Princess is the most important one. With each one removed, she will get more and more distraught. Her would-be bodyguards could be eliminated…and she would be all alone."_

"_Rumor has it she has a Keyblade. She's not defenseless."_

"_Yes but even the Keyblade cannot protect against certain elements."_

"…_are you talking about poison…?"_

"_Among other things."_

"…_you're insane."_

"_Yes. Yes I am. You knew this when you married me. We __**had**__ something William. And then that stupid bitch Maleficent ruined it all. Think about it. We could take out the Committee, gain control over the Princess, and eventually __**remove**__ her as well. It would take time…but it could be done. And the best part is, once the Princess is gone, with no more Royal Blood around, the City council would gain full power over the decisions of what happens when. The city could be __**ours**__, William."_

Silence again.

"_You could even add the Princess to your little collection…"_

"…_how do you know about that…?"_

"_Oh please, that was half the reason I divorced you. I couldn't risk being tied to a known pedophile. I can't judge you on your tastes honestly, but still, the rest of the world doesn't see things the way we do. Think about it William…with the entire city at our backing, we could slip in a law that makes what you enjoy most, legal…and you'd have the Princess to play with. Don't think I didn't see the way you used to look at her mother."_

"…_the Princess __**is**__ becoming a beautiful young woman…older than what I usually like…"_

"_Think about it for a while. I already gathered enough information to be able to launch precision strikes against each one of the Committee members. Maybe not outright kill them in any way, but their credibility, their reputations…we can easily crush. Turn the people against them, make them enemies of the common man…"_

"_And in the strife and chaos, nobody will know what else we're doing…"_

"_You'll be able to enjoy your little games more often, William."_

"…_I…I don't know Maria…this could backfire in the worst possible way…"_

"_Oh please…what have we to worry about? We both have perfectly clean records. And I have ways of making the remnants of your __**toys**__ disappear."_

"…_I need…time…time to think about this."_

"_I'm sorry William…time is something we don't have much of. I need your decision __**now**__."_

There was a minute of quiet from either speaker.

"…_fine…fine I'm in. But…do you really think we can do it alone?"_

"_Oh no…no no. There are others. Jenkins, Carrod, Silven, even Leo is in on it."_

"_Really? Damn…"_

"_And I have an inside man…have you ever heard of a man by the name of Selh'teus Rodin?"_

"_N-no…?"_

"_He is a powerful warrior from another world. He is close to the princess. She apparently knows him as 'Seth'. He got me all the information I needed to compile my plans."_

"_I…I see…can he be trusted?"_

"_Who knows. But he showed express dislike of the Restoration Committee. The way he tells it, he managed to go toe to toe with the youngest, that disgustingly chipper Yuffie girl."_

"_You believe that?"_

"_I watched him crush a lamppost with his mind, William. I'd believe anything he told me."_

"_A-Alright…what do we do then?"_

"_Nothing, for now. With you in we have all the pieces we need. Selh'teus will be our in. Nobody will expect him at all. He'll give us the times to proceed."_

"_Alright…"_

"_Just proceed with your life as you do. I'll contact you again when it is time to meet."_

Yuffie clicked the device again, the sounds stopping.

"…wh-what…?" they were all shocked.

"That was two weeks ago. The first mission I undertook was to kill a woman completely unrelated to that conversation. But after I'd proven myself, Seth told me he found something interesting, something bad. That recording was of a meeting between Maria Byron and William Harrod, two of the people I assassinated. Slowly, over the past couple weeks, I've been picking them off, one by one."

"But…but that woman said-

"Seth was feeding them false information. The only true information he gave them was where we all lived, and what our schedules were like. He still hasn't told me how he got all that. But slowly, we have been systematically taking all of them out. Not a single one suspected they were being killed off. We've managed to make it all seem like random accidents, things that fit in with their lives, but random chance just happened to kick in, and be fatal."

They were all stunned.

"Seth has been having me kill only the most vile of people. People who were far beyond redemption."

"How would you know?!" Leon yelled. "You've been **killing** people Yuffie?! What gives him the right to judge-

"**Miri** does."

That shut him up.

"Miri is a **Heartless**. She can sense the darkness in people's hearts. She can pinpoint it, classify it, even **manipulate** it if she wanted to. Seth has Miri scan for the most **evil** of people, the people who do horrible things because they **like** to. And **only** those people. She marks them, and gives him the information she gathers from them while they sleep. He's logged over fifty people in this city alone who he would gladly feed to Miri, and over one hundred more that are at the edge, but have just enough hesitation within them that he leaves them be. He goes after people in power, **with** power. People who **intentionally** continue the kind of corruption he had to deal with on **his** world. People who do things just to further themselves, will gladly lead to the deaths of many, will **kill** many with their choices, and not bat an eyelash, all for their own greed and desires.

He targets those who only care about themselves, and will crush anyone who stands in their way, even if they don't truly intend to. He targets **threats** to existence as a whole, people that if Miri weren't with him, would be calling down Heartless on us left and right. He is **saving** this world, and he doesn't **have** to."

They stared at her. Tifa had to speak.

"But…what about you? How does that make you feel?"

"I feel sick when I kill someone. But I know it's for the best. If they continued to exist, so many others would suffer in ways that just don't need to be. Suffering is a part of life, yes, but this is beyond _normal_ suffering, beyond **life's** suffering. These people cause pain for the sake of causing pain. These people kill for the sake of killing. **Those** are the types of _monsters in human flesh_ Seth has sent me after. I am a **ninja**. Killing is in my job description. It's only that all the major ninja clans were wiped out before I ended up here, and my training was incomplete. But we are trained killers of other people, and it is _sheer luck_ that I wasn't one of the rest of my kind. Seth has been training me to kill other people, but he's been training me to kill the **right** people.

Ninja from his world, and quite possibly my own clan, would kill, sometimes for the simple sake of making sure their skills were sharp. They would be ordered to kill completely innocent people for no discernible reason. I **could** have ended up one of those people who mindlessly killed at the whims of my leader. But my leader is **Kairi**, and she isn't like that. It's unlikely she'll _ever_ order me to assassinate anyone the way Seth has, and Seth _knows_ this. That is why he's having me do it **now**, to try to purge as many possible roots of corruption as he can, before Kairi takes over."

What could they say to that? Honestly, what could be said?

"I'm still me. I'm still Yuffie. But you all need to get it out of your heads that just because I'm younger than all of you that I'm a **kid**. I've fought just as hard as the rest of you. I've sweat and bled and hurt just as much as all of you. But unlike you all I've **died**. I **know** what death is like! And I know you've **all** killed before. Whether it was Self-Defense or in a blood rage or anything, I _know_ you've killed! But none of you know what _dying_ is like! I **do!** And because of that I know exactly what I'm sending the people I kill to.

I am a **ninja**. A warrior of the shadows, an assassin, a silent killer. This is my job, this is my blood, this is who I am because it is who I **choose** to be! I will **be** the darkness that reaches out and ensnares the world, I will **be** the silent wind that severs flesh, I will **be** the destroyer, if it means the world I love, the _people_ I love, will be safe!"

They were stunned at the passion in her voice.

"And if you cannot accept that…then I have nothing more to say to any of you."

She turned away.

"…I can't let you do this Yuffie."

Leon said. Tifa hissed at him. "The hell are you doing?!"

"He's done something to you. He brought you back wrong. You're no-

In the blink of an eye, Yuffie had vanished, a hazy image of her seeming to whirl around. Leon had no time to defend, before he was doubled over, a loud **CRACK **echoing through the hall, Yuffie seeming to suddenly appear with her knees on his back, his left leg bent at an improper angle, a kunai under his chin, the kunoichi gripping his hair as he fell to the floor with her on top of him.

"You're dead, _Squall_."

They all just blinked in shock. She moved faster than they could track. Even Tifa could only see a blur!

"If I wanted to, I could have had your head removed before the rest of your body fell to the floor. I could have had your legs off before you even realized you were being cut. You couldn't even see me at all. And I didn't even use Tonko. This is **who I am**, _Squall._ I am _exactly_ who I am meant to be. I'm not like _you_ who won't even use his birth name because he's too _hurt_ to want to remember his life before now. I'm not a _coward_ that runs from _himself_ like you. We all hold **darkness** within us. You all choose to fight it, I choose to **embrace** it. You can think of me whatever you want. But you **do not** get to even _begin_ to insult _**him**_.

He showed me the depths of humanity, the end of **life**, and he brought me back exactly as I was, only with **knowledge** of what lay beyond. He fed me my weakness, and made me grow **stronger** from it. He has been giving me what I've wanted all this time: to become **Shinobi**. You **will not **judge him like you do everything else. He is **beyond** you. He is beyond **all** of us. He's the closest thing to a **god** this world has seen and you will _not_ antagonize him just because he did something you disagree with to further a larger goal! **I **am the only one that was truly hurt by his attack to claim the Life Materia, and that was because I was blinded by **your** tutelage to fight the darkness and all who dwell within it!

You were fine and supportive of my wish to become a ninja as long as you barely knew what that meant, other than I could defend myself; but the moment you learned what being a ninja _truly_ meant you have been distant and confrontational! You are the type of **fool** that _he_ would kill just for standing in his way! While the rest of you deal with the surface needs when it comes to the Restoration of this place, **I **am making sure our foundation doesn't crumble the moment someone with half a brain and a wish for control comes along!

But you are so _blinded_ by your dislike of the dark and those that dwell within it because of what's happened to us all over the past half-decade that the moment you face it you lash out at it! It's not the **dark** we have to fear, it's the **people controlling it!** The darkness itself is just the same as the light! A **thing**! It's the people that wield it that make it 'good' or 'bad'! The dark is a dangerous thing but with the right mind you can wield it without worrying, you simply need to understand and **accept** it! Both Light **and** Dark can corrupt who wields it if they lack the self-discipline to keep themselves grounded in who they are!

You don't understand, you **choose** not to understand! You might be a strong fighter, you might be a smart person, but you are a **horrible** leader! Seth is a threat to this world only as long as someone **makes** him a threat! This isn't his home, these aren't his people, he has **nothing** to do with this world at all, and would only even think of crushing it if he had a damn **reason** to! Seth is an even greater power than all of us combined, but he follows his own set of rules that are **very** easy to understand as long as you allow yourself a flexible enough mind! The more you antagonize him, the more danger you put this world into! He wouldn't crush the whole thing just to get at one person unless they proved themselves a threat not just to him, but to people he cared about, as well as their surroundings! Do you have any idea how badly he could _eradicate_ everyone on this planet?! Do you?!"

Aerith slowly stepped up to Yuffie. "Y-Yuffie…honey…I don't think he can hear you…"

The girl turned shimmering, angry, tear-streaked eyes to the brunette woman, before turning back to Leon.

Who was completely unconscious.

Yuffie just stared, before giving an empty huff of a laugh.

"…figures…probably didn't hear _half_ of what I said…bastard."

She simply stared at the man she used to _revere_. She loved him like a brother, a father even…but since Seth she's seen how judgmental, how…unchanging he was. He had a heart, and only the closest were allowed to even glimpse what was inside it. Even **Cloud** wasn't that cold. Cloud just found most things uninteresting. Cloud was outwardly self-conscious. He worried too much. But because of that, he was capable of allowing himself to relate to others. He preferred doing his own thing, but he could more easily fit into a group than Squall could.

She shook her head. She'd been holding that in for a while now. Seth was a good confident, but even he agreed some things needed to be said to the people they involved. But her irritation at Squall's pig-headdedness made her more inclined to believe it was by choice he fell unconscious. She was putting pressure on him, but not enough to _completely _stop his breathing. And he'd had a broken bone before.

Still…she didn't feel like going home now…not like this…not all…jittery and messed up. She was…vulnerable here. Not physically, no she could probably take them all out without any trouble. None of them were fast enough to keep up with her. Hell out of all of them the biggest threat was Aerith. Her magical prowess could make a wide range spell strong enough to lock Yuffie down.

She felt…vulnerable…emotionally. She'd spilled what she needed to, let out what she kept hidden, but it did absolutely nothing. Maybe the others would understand, maybe they could, but maybe they couldn't. She…needed to be with someone who _would_. No question about it. Someone she could just…_sit_ with…for a bit. She didn't know where Ino was, wasn't close enough to Aqua, and Kairi was probably with Sora. She didn't know Naminé well enough, and Sora…well, he was getting a crash course in harsh reality but he was still too **Light**.

That left one person. And she knew exactly how to get to him.

"Yu-

"Miri?" Yuffie questioned, cutting Aerith off.

It was more like a request for summoning, than a question. And of course, the tiny girl responded. Not seconds after Yuffie spoke her name, a swirling gate of Darkness formed, the child stepping through, dripping wet and stark naked.

"I'm sorry…it was bath time wasn't it?"

Miri blinked at the girl.

"I'd…rather not be alone right now. Do you think-

Miri just reached out and grabbed Yuffie's hand, pulling her through the Dark Corridor, before it closed.

The others just stared at the spot the girls vanished through. Aerith sighed.

Honestly, Aerith was only concerned about Yuffie's state of mind of dealing with all the killing she had to do. Aerith was a little more knowledgeable about the actions of Ninja and how…dark they could be. She was convinced Yuffie was doing an…unusual method of the right thing, after hearing that recording. Still…as time went on, and things occurred, Aerith was beginning to get a greater picture of exactly who Seth was.

_Selh'teus Rodin. What an unusual choice of alias…unless that's his actual name? Still, I'd like to speak with him once. He is no doubt a very dangerous being. But…_

_All of this…all of what we've seen…has been circumstantial. With the way Yuffie so readily defends him…how Ino and Alicia both seem so interested in him…and how carefully he took care of Miri when she was hurting…_

_We're missing a key part of his personality. We only see the negative, the dangerous side of him. We've seen a hint of the kinder side, but it was quickly pushed away by the threat again. Yuffie is right…he most likely __**is**__ the closest thing to a God we have on this planet right now…his power is phenomenal, and with the strange boost he's capable of, along with the armor…the Keyblade he holds alone would be dangerous enough…_

_He did indeed attack us, but it was for the sake of Ino…and at the same time, he did it in such a way that only we, the fighters, would be hurt, if anyone. It's obvious, to some of us, at least, that he is the type of person that should he be left with little recourse but to do something inherently negative, he will try to limit the damage as much as possible, and balance it out later with something positive._

_Truly…a being of Chaos. Maybe I should look into seeing what I can about the Deity he follows…_

* * *

**CLANG**

_Fuuuuck! Why does shit like this always happen?!_

A head of black hair ducked under a vicious swing from a frost covered Katana. Their lock was broken by him, but because he was still trying to figure out what was going on, he hadn't engaged the sublimation field. He'd been wondering if it would matter even if he had.

**SWOOSH**

_GAH! Too close!_

The blade lashed out again, this time nowhere near him, but a vaguely crescent shaped wall of frozen energy ripped from its edge. Seth rolled to the side, noting that the ground under the area of effect was slicked over. It would seem like the tales of the Yukianesa were true.

It took them four days, but they found the blade. Thanks to Miri's ability to teleport them to the last place they visited, they were able to make the search less taxing on both of them. Being able to return to your bed after a day of travel was a rare boon, and Seth was very happy to take advantage of the situation. Of course, even though they found the blade (not that far from the town actually, it was hidden deep within a cave of crystals) nothing could go right. First they had to dig the blade out from its cage.

Though 'dig' in this case was used as a loose, catch-all term. The blade was encased in crystal, only able to be noticed due to a combination of the Kitetsu's ingrained sensory ability to note when another blade of its ilk was present, as well as Miri's power to sense hearts.

The blades themselves didn't have 'hearts', more like they had vague sentience. Miri was able to pick up on the faint strands of mock-emotion, to help locate where it was. Though due to the lack of an actual heart, the blade could only be barely detected by her when she was in a close enough proximity. They spent an entire day chipping away at the crystal around the blade, Seth struggling _not_ to simply crush the damn thing.

But they did it. They set it free. And Yuffie touched it.

And of course, that's when things went wrong.

_Dammit I __**know**__ she's got Kisaragi blood in her! Why the hell is she going apeshit now?!_

Yuffie, a few minutes after simply holding the blade, and letting her 'aura' reach out to it, suddenly drew it, eyes frosted over into an icy cold blue. And then she attacked him.

That was five minutes ago.

Something was clearly wrong. He wondered, during their fight, if maybe the blade was still claimed? But he reasoned no, even if it worked the same as the Kitetsu, the blade would have rejected her, not be…_using_ her. And he knew it was the blade he was fighting, not Yuffie. Were it Yuffie, he'd have had to sync up with Miri just to match her. No, Yuffie wasn't using any of her Ninjutsu, or even her tools. She was moving slower than she should have been. And it wasn't due to a lack of familiarity with the katana.

She was wielding, if not just the blade, then mostly Ice elemental manipulations. Conversions of ice and frost into smaller sword shapes, pressure slash waves of frozen ice. Hell she even launched a giant ice arrow at him! No, this was all the blade's doing. If it was Yuffie, he'd have at least seen a couple ice shuriken, or ice needles or _something_ vaguely-ninja-like. She was acting more like…well a Samurai with some vague elemental abilities.

_Huh, now that I think about it, once I snap her out of this shit, I should teach her a few Katana specific techniques that Midori-sensei taught me. Yukikaze would be a cakewalk to learn with __**that**__ sword._

Still, while Seth was using the crystalline cavern as a playing field, Yuffie was sticking to the ground, for the most part; which was entirely _opposite_ to what her skillset was. Seth had a lot of fun training Yuffie because she was _so much like him_ when it came to battle. She _would_ be, after all, he _was_ trained by a ninja as well. But Yuffie was barely moving at all.

Unknown to him, she was watching him. Waiting. And now was the time to strike.

As Seth landed for a forward dash, Yuffie drew the blade from its sheath, stabbing it into the ground. Before he realized it, a wall of ice had ripped up from the sky, entrapping him within. If it were a 'normal' 'cage' he'd simply break out. But the cold was quickly eating away at his motor functions, drawing him into the embrace of unconsciousness. The last thing he saw before the darkness of sleep claimed him, was Yuffie jumping onto what looked like a giant icicle, zooming away towards the city.

* * *

**CLANG**

_Why does stuff like this keep happening?_

It started out a half decent day. His leg was feeling better, he'd had a pretty good breakfast, there were no heartless to worry about…all today required was to start puzzling out how to fix the Defense Grid and start working on clearing out the rest of the castle of the _crap_ Maleficent had set up while she'd taken over. But of course, good days can't last. Not an hour after lunch, Leon was suddenly besieged by a trio of _swords made of Ice _that dropped from the sky, attempting to impale him.

And then a falling Yuffie, with a glowing blue Katana.

He'd be rather irritated to know he shared a very similar thought with the one man he believed responsible for his troubles of late.

Honestly he was surprised to have been able to stand up to her for so long. The night she proved her _definite_ speed advantage over him showed that she could end him before he could react, despite his range advantage. She was trained to _kill_ to _assassinate_. She was trained as a **Ninja**, capable of high-speed combat, even without Materia. But for some reason, she was using _none_ of those skills now.

He was still loathe to hurt her, especially after Cloud sat him down and knocked some sense into him the next day, while he was recovering from the broken leg, telling him about her rant while he was unconscious. Plus, he was having a hard enough time defending. She wasn't going as fast as she _could_ be, but she had _much _more range than he was used to. Well, more range in close-range combat, than he was used to. He was used to her being mid to long range, peppering with shuriken or magical strikes to keep targets at bay.

_Damn…he's a threat but hell if he's not a good trainer._ Leon had to admit, whatever Seth put her through, it really showed. Even so, Yuffie was showing a rather _disturbing_ single-mindedness during this fight. Tifa had tried to distract her, but Yuffie just froze the woman's legs to the ground and focused on Leon. It was like all she wanted was to go after Leon. Nobody else mattered.

_And what the hell is up with her eyes?! They should be brown, not blue!_

* * *

His eyes snapped open.

The ice around him shattered violently, his body toppling to the ground. Panting heavily, he shivered, the cold having left his muscles with a tight, irritated chill. He was weakened, tired…but Seth couldn't rest just yet. Not now that he understood.

Miri pulled him into that strange mashup realm he ended up in whenever he contacted – or was contacted by – Kairi. There, the two puzzled over why Yuffie was acting strange. Miri had said her heart felt weird. Muffled by cold anger, a rage that burned silent, freezing all it touched. It was that notion, that gave Seth pause. All the swords were slightly sentient due to the way they were made. But they chose their wielders. And unless specifically made to do so, wouldn't 'possess' someone, so much as enhance them. If they didn't connect to the wielder, the wielder would simply not be able to use the blade.

Suppressed anger…would explain why she attacked Seth. Attacked…but did not kill. She simply froze him. Maybe it was a kill attempt, but while he was stuck there, she could have easily confirmed his end, intentionally. But she left. Left for-

_Leon!_

**Now** it all made sense. The Yukianesa wasn't properly communicating with Yuffie. Something in the message to one another was being jumbled, not understood. Normally, wielders of a Blade either had it forged specifically with them in mind, thus synchronicity was instant, or they were trained and taught how the blade worked, so the two could be as one. Yuffie had no such training. The Blade likely sensed her heritage, and _wanted_ to connect, but Yuffie's mind resisted. Her mind had to be open, there had to be a bridge between them, of sorts, for things to work.

Which meant that the Yukianesa was grasping her strongest emotions that could be used for battle, grasping the targets they were directed at, and assaulting them, to _assist_ its wielder.

As Seth gathered his thoughts, realizing that Yuffie needed a Glyph in order to be that bridge, a warm sensation flowed through his body. Confused, he looked upon his hands, seeing a soft, violet shimmer.

_Thank you…Mother._

He knew the connection with his chosen Goddess, Tiamat, still existed. Her power still flowed through him, as per the ritual's parameters, long ago. Whether it meant she still existed in this crazy universe he found himself in, or if this was just remnants, he couldn't tell. But her power was just that, _power_. It was wild and untamed, due to the nature of Chaos itself. As such, it would only be wielded when he was of absolute focus. Only when his mind, body, and soul, were working as one, could the depths of the power gained from the ritual be reached.

Otherwise, it would just augment him. Slight increases in strength, stamina, focus…minor changes that could make or break a fight. But either way, the Mother of Chaos warmed him, restoring him closer to fighting capability. Flexing his arms and testing his muscles, he concluded it was time to make his move. He'd already thought up a crude, tweakable glyph for Yuffie, a simple, basic one that covered her need.

It could be modified, made more elaborate, but he was working on a tight schedule. The problem was _giving_ it to her. He couldn't apply the glyph himself, it didn't work like that. Glyphs were personal calling cards. Others could come up with the designs, but the actual application had to come from the wielder. A glyph would convert the space around the wielder to one that was moderately under his or her control. Certain restrictions applied, depending on location and situation, but generally a Glyph was a brief symbol that was formed, to cause a larger effect.

He wielded the Glyph of Chaos, in order to use the unnamed Chaos magic that drained Life Force.

_Maybe I should just call it Lifehunt. Make it simple._

He shook his head of the thought. Now was not the time to be thinking of his own techniques.

_Now the question is…how the __**fuck**__ am I gonna get it into __**her**__ head?_

Miri, sensing his distress, grasped his pant-leg. He looked down to her.

"…idea…"

* * *

Leon blinked rapidly. He simply sat where he was, nursing a headache and a severely bruised ego, staring at the spot where Yuffie was pinned against a wall, her hand bunched into Seth's shirt, clutching him close to her. Wisps of dark energy flowed from behind the girl, as a Dark Corridor opened within the wall, the two of them falling into it. Off to the side, now revealed due to the empty space where the two once were, was Miri, giving a soft grin.

She too, vanished in a wave of darkness.

As Cloud helped Leon up, the blonde man couldn't help but ask.

"…what just happened?"

Ino gave a cute looking pout, before muttering something about wishing she was in Yuffie's place. Alicia nodded absently, while Naminé and Kairi giggled, with Aqua, once again, giving an exasperated sigh.

"Well," Kairi began, both blue and red eyes glimmering with mirth "it seems that Yuffie was about to kill you, and Seth showed up like the big damn hero he tends to be, activated Crow Form, then fluttered around like an annoying bee, holding her off before ditching his armor, pinning her to a wall, and making out with her."

"Oh good…I thought I was seeing things. **WHY THE HELL DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?!**" Leon yelled incredulously.

Naminé frowned, closing her eyes and trying to think. "Yuffie…seemed possessed by…the sword. The way she kept focusing on you…I think it was angry with you for something, Leon." The girl spoke, trying to piece together the sequence of events.

"Clearly." Leon muttered with no little sarcasm.

"I think that was a **Synchronicity Chain.**" Kairi said, staring at the ground.

"A what?" Tifa asked, as Aerith began healing her small wounds.

"The deepest form of heart to heart connection. The highest form of Resonance Reaction." Kairi explained.

"Wait…so he's-

"No." Kairi cut Leon off. "No…while it's _the_ strongest form of Resonance Reaction, a Synchronicity Chain can be done by two hearts beating at the same tempo…two minds unified under one will. It doesn't require anything other than, well, absolute Synchronicity between people. Having a connection like ours…helps…it helps a lot…but that only opens the pathways wider, to be honest. It's very much doable without one."

Naminé nodded. "And with Miri capable of consuming hearts…it's likely she was able to do something, either to Yuffie or to Seth, that let the Chain form."

Alicia nodded absently. "That makes sense…a sort of psychic resonance without needing to be directly connected. A matching of wills. Something of that nature would no doubt be within his grasp."

"Why did he kiss her though?" Aerith asked, now moving on to Leon, hands still glowing.

"That's…a good question…" Naminé spoke.

"Forced connection." Ino informed. They turned to her. "By kissing her, it stunned her for a moment. Let's say she was possessed by the sword, like we think. The sword wouldn't have expected an 'attack' of that nature, giving Seth an opening. Its likely Seth had Miri lock onto Yuffie's heart, and match his beats with hers. Their wills would have already been as one: wanting Yuffie free, but the sword was likely clouding things."

"Yeah! That sounds right." Kairi said. Suddenly her eyes widened, the red one seeming to glow slightly. "Also, Master used to have Chains like that with his partners. With Revan, it was a chain of family, a simple moment of grasped hands would have been enough for an alignment trigger. They were friends first, and then became family. Their hearts beat as one against the unfairness of the World. With Lynn and Elle, they were closer to him, romantically. Clasped hands worked, but a kiss held the strongest connection. A love as strong as with Revan, but different, slightly deeper. With family there are vague limits of certain physical actions. Master likely kissed the lucky ninja both as a stun factor, as well as to open a bridge through shared emotion."

The glow in her left eye faded, as Kairi coughed, clearing her throat a bit. "…what I said."

"That's freaky. Real freaky." Tifa said, commenting on the fact that Kairi would enter a sort of not-trance, and she would say things that were…odd.

"Yeah…yeah it is." Kairi agreed, deadpan.

* * *

Voices. Arguing voices.

Seth and Yuffie shared a look. What could have set everyone off this early in the morning? Seth and Yuffie were together the night before…and were just arriving now. And after her last mission, she hadn't done any assassination tasks. The two shrugged at one another, before stepping through the doors of the Gathering Hall. There, they saw _exactly_ what had everyone up in arms.

Standing off to one side, was a tall, wide shouldered, blue skinned man, with ice blue flame for hair, wearing a black toga.

"Huh. Hades. Wasn't expecting that." Seth spoke, in between bouts of shouting. Everyone turned to him and Yuffie.

"Ah, kid! Just the man I wanted to see."

Seth quirked an eyebrow. "What brings you from your cheery little slice of hell to this shithole?" Seth spoke, getting glares from the Restoration Committee, and a punch on the arm from Yuffie.

"A real big problem."

"I thought we mutually agreed that calling up Eldritch Horrors wasn't worth not having heroes around to deal with them after we were done." Everyone stared at Seth. What the hell was he talking about, and _why_ was he so chummy with Hades?!

"Not that big. But close. Look kid, it's not often I find myself in this little situation but…I need your help."

Seth stared at the Lord of the Dead for a good half minute.

"…well aint that some shit."

* * *

**A/N: **Complete. Yuffie lovers can now rejoyce. Yuffie has joined the ranks of the Shitwreckers. FFXI players will _definitely_ note where i'm taking her. Hades battle next chapter. Maybe something more. maybe not. We'll see.

**The Pyromaniac Druid**: Kairi...well, Anti-Kairi...has what appears to be the Sharingan. But it's mostly cosmetic. I can say now, she will **not** be suddenly capable of copying other people's powers and whatnot. The thing is, Anti-Kairi _does_ have access to abilities based very similarly to ones that certain anime characters have. **Kamui** was simply an apt name for the spatial compression ability that Anti-Kairi wielded. Kairi's left eye being now permanently red is...a side effect of Kairi rejecting Anti-Kairi, and Anti-Kairi forcing her power through Kairi. Seth's **Chidori** was simply him trying a lightning based piercing attack.

After all, he wouldnt have had time to cast **Indignation**. There will be an explanation of the **Cloak of Tia** soon enough. But there is indeed a reason why **Kamui, Imari, **and **Chidori** have appeared. if you've read the original story, **that** particular plotline is still indeed intact. if you havent...well, either look at the crappy original and find out, or just wait till i get to it here.

I know very little about Fairy Tail other than all the women have magnificent breasts and kick ass. Ino...well, Ino is the way she is now for a _very_ specific reason. which will be seen and explained, later.

**Skeleus:** i'm glad you enjoyed it. The fight was rather fun to write for me as well. another big fight is coming next chapter.

**GodofLazors:** Ino is as powerful as she is for a specific reason. Seth has a pact with the original Chaos Goddess. Sora, in-canon, can cut through a building. Kairi is a being with a heart of Pure Light, a logically impossible concept. Luxord can turn people into cards or dice, and screw with time. Xigbar can stand on thin air, and teleport. Seth is merely joining in a realm of overpowered people. And yes, it is all awesome.


	13. Crushed Memories

Everyone stared at Hades in surprise, confusion, suspicion, and in Seth's case, vague amusement.

"I get the feeling that didn't hurt as much as one would think." He said.

Hades gave a wry grin. "Hey, I got my pride, and my pride says to keep my butt out of a fire that's hotter than I am."

"Smart man. So, what's the damage?"

"I gotta problem I need solved. Some mush-for-brains thought it was a good idea to make some kinda clone of me." The God of the Underworld stated.

"Ok…why not have Hercules deal with it?" Seth queried.

"Well for one, he's never been able to beat me in a straight up fight. He can't, actually. And definitely not mano-a-mano, capiche?"

"Fair enough."

"As for the other thing, this clone is a one-to-one scale of my power. It's basically a second me."

"And with your ego there's not enough room for both of you."

"Exactly! Knew you'd get it, kid."

"So why not just wipe it yourself? Or better yet, have Zeus do it. I mean yeah, you'd owe him one but I'd think even he'd be willing to smite a not-you to make sure only _one_ of you is floating around at any given time."

"Yeah about that…he probably _would_, but he can't tell which one is me and which one's the fake." Hades said.

That caused Seth to frown.

"…and…you can't tell either, I suppose?"

"Nope. If it wasn't for the fact that I saw this guy while I was on a walk outside my little home, I wouldn't have even thought of it."

"…I get the feeling there's more to it than just a clone."

Hades clapped slowly. "Look at the brains on this one, you sure you don't wanna work for me? No? Pity. Well, make things short, you're right. Apparently, not even my **world** can tell us apart."

Seth's eyes widened.

"And word on the street has it that _you_, kiddo, have some way of not only telling who's who, but also a way to _get rid_ of it."

"…I see." Seth rose an eyebrow. _How the hell would he know? I mean…no…I kept Miri in my shadow while I was on his world. So who knew…that was there…and who the hell __**told**__ him?_

"HOLD UP A SECOND!" Suddenly Sora yelled up, hands together in a vague T shape.

"Ok…Seth…why are you _dealing_ with Hades? Do you have any idea-

"Yes. I do. I got it from Kairi."

"Then why do you look like you _believe_ him?!"

"Because I do, Sora." _Questionable source of knowledge that shouldn't exist aside._

The brunette teen was bewildered.

"Hades is a God, on his world. Here, he's just a really powerful conceptual being. But on his world, he's basically immortal. The first reason I believe him, is he is a God that requires _believers_. He is a God tied to the health and existence of his world. The less people that believe in him, the weaker he gets. Secondly, he is the God of the Dead. The Lord of the Underworld. His domain is the afterlife. He is no doubt a powerful and formidable combatant, but that is _not_ his forte."

Hades shrugged. "Can't win 'em all."

Seth nodded in response. "Thirdly, He has nothing to gain by lying here. He's not the God of Lies, or even Misdirection. He's the God of the Dead. And dead men tell no lies. He twists the truth to fit his goals, maybe doesn't say everything he could about a subject, maybe even intentionally omits things. But he doesn't _lie_. And even if he did, there'd be no advantage to him lying about the situation back home. Fourthly, he's got no other choice but to ask for help."

"How do you figure that, Shishou?" Yuffie asked from behind him.

Seth turned his head and stared straight at Hades' face.

"Because he's dying."

Silence.

For about three seconds.

"_**WHAT?!"**_

Seth twitched at the loud yell. "I'm sorry I don't think they heard you in Atlantica, think you could BE any louder?"

"The hell are you on about Seth?!" Kairi exclaimed. "He's a God! You just said it, Gods don't die!"

"No, I said he's basically immortal on his world. There's a fair few ways to kill a 'God'. It just depends on the type of God you're dealing with, and what you're willing to do."

"Enlighten me, kid." Hades said. He wanted to see what Seth would say.

Seth rose an eyebrow, but shrugged. "Well, for Hades' case, like I said, he's a God whose power is sustained from belief. _Any_ belief. Even _fear_. Keep the fear of the Lord of the Dead in the people, and they'll keep believing in him. If all of a sudden, people stopped believing, he'd get weaker and weaker, risking disappearing entirely. Gods like him need the mortals of their world as sustenance, in a sense. They thrive off of the belief of their people. Starve them of that long enough, their conceptual existence collapses upon itself, and they vanish from being."

Unknown to him, Alicia was getting a soft blush on her face. While she was attracted to him physically, it wasn't until he started going into the immaterial concepts that she _really_ felt a stirring in her loins.

Doesn't help that she's not gotten any _period_, and the last person she _intended_ to get some from, was wiped from existence. _Oh yes…here it comes. I __**love**__ it when he starts acting like a teacher._

She blinked for a moment. _I wonder if I've got some weird fetish or something…ehh._

"A second way, is to kill their world."

Stares.

"Kill…the world…?" Cloud muttered, confused. Seth nodded.

"Yep. Even Gods that don't require the belief of mortals to survive, if they have no World, they have no Reason. And without Reason, they cannot exist. Kill the world a God belongs to, you kill them…unless someone from that world survives to believe in that God. Then…theoretically, a God could survive the total destruction of their world, provided they anchored their concept to that surviving person, or persons. But even then, that person would have to be…very very powerful, spiritually, otherwise the God would fade anyway, due to lack of power. That's the only surefire way to kill a God that is tied to a specific world. But there are Gods that exist on worlds that are tied to concepts, and as long as they can latch onto a different world, that holds that concept, they can survive, albeit in a horribly weakened state."

Yep. She wanted him. Real bad. Right now.

"Sora, remember when you were dealing with that cunt Maleficent and her band of merry assholes? Present company ex…actually no you're an asshole too. You're just smarter about it."

Hades grinned, taking Seth's aside as a compliment.

"Yeah…" Sora responded.

"Remember how _none_ of her allies were from displaced worlds?"

Sora thought about it for a bit. "…huh. Never made that connection."

"Exactly. Same thing with a God. If that world's gone, they can't exist outside of very specific circumstances."

Sora and a couple of the others nodded, understanding.

Alicia just smiled wider.

"Third way, is kinda specific. Gods of Concept, like say, a God of Wind, or a God of Truth, can be killed by erasing the concept they're tied to. That's only really useful for like, lesser Gods that rule over vague things that nobody believes in very often. Fourth way is to simply break their existence. But that works mostly for Gods that are actually Tangible. Again, those tend to be lower-class Gods, though some higher-class ones are Tangible, that is to say, they exist as an actual physical presence that can be interacted with."

"…that is so hot…" Alicia muttered to herself.

Ino heard her, however, and nodded in agreement.

"Fifth way is to create an Anti-Existence that is tailored to destroy a specific God. That's really hard to do. Sixth way is to create a weapon that is capable of damaging a God, which…is a little less difficult to do, but still hard as hell. You need some serious conceptual fuckery to do that. Seventh way is to have someone ascend to Godhood through some way, and have them usurp or inherit the title that a particular God holds, such as a mortal having such a big heart that upon their end, their concept of spirit retains its form and ascends into the realm of the Gods, and takes the place of the current God or Goddess of Love. That might not so much as 'kill' the God in question, more like possibly assimilate. It's still a _form_ of 'death' but not an actual complete death."

_Why am I not alone with him, in a room somewhere, listening to him talk? Really. This is driving me nuts right now. Clothing is optional._

"Eighth way is Keyblade."

"Wait, seriously?" Roxas blurt out.

"Yeah. The Keyblade is a Conceptual Weapon. It doesn't so much strike the body as it strikes the concept. It can unlock or banish Hearts. It can be used to kill a God, but that requires the wielder's concept to be capable of at least temporarily reaching the level of said God, as well as having the intent to harm the God's concept of existence, and not just their tangible or intangible form. Why do you think Odin told everyone to step off your case when you guys first encountered him? It's cause he knew that if you wanted to, you could kill him, and everyone in that room, easily."

Sora stared at his hands, imagining holding the Keyblade, almost seeing it as if it was being held in front of him. To think…it had _that_ much power…

"And the last way that I can think of at the moment, is, the world _rejects_ the God."

"And how does _that_ work?" Alicia called out, voice not betraying her desire to grab Seth and do horribly naughty things to him. With or without his permission.

Hey, girls have needs in that department too dammit.

"Same way I imagine what's happening to Hades. The appearance of an exact equal to his existence has confused it. And it is viewing the fact that there are two of him, as a 'problem'. The thing is, a World wouldn't think the same way a human would. It can't tell the difference between the two, thus, it is trying to excise both of them at once. Which is why he came to me. Right old-bean?"

Hades nodded, while his mind was elsewhere.

…_this kid…really __**could**__ kill me…kill all of us…_

_**That's right. This is why I implored you not to antagonize him in the slightest. He is not Sora, who will settle for having one simply give up. He **__**will**__** kill you, if you prove to be a threat.**_

Seth blinked, _swearing_ he just barely heard a voice on the wind. But he shook it off mentally, logging the concept but putting a big question mark on the file.

"Sounds to me…like you've got a Gaia Memory problem."

…_**play ignorant! He cannot know you know what they are right now!**_

Hades shook himself visibly. "Come again?" The voice yelling at him like that screwed with his head a little.

_There it was again…_

"Gaia Memory. It's a small rectangular object that is usually colored in some way, has a single letter along with a word that starts with that letter, and a small white button on it that when you click it, will say the word inscribed on it. Gaia Memories are containers for…well, what they say. They hold within them the conceptual existence of whatever is written on the front. A literal memory of a concept that is Observed by the world, contained in a small device. It's likely someone found one with your name on it, picked it up, and ended up activating it. Since it was a Memory of your very existence, it would mirror you perfectly."

"I knew there was a reason I came to you."

"Indeed. So…I'll just break the memory then. Shouldn't be horribly difficult honestly…"

Miri (who had appeared during his final statements) pulled on his pant-leg. He looked down at the girl, who pointed to Ino, who was frowning.

"Problem?"

Miri nodded, pushing him towards Ino.

Confused, he let the girl shove him towards Ino, going along with it. "What's wrong?"

The black haired girl blinked, looking up to him, before frowning deeper, looking away, sighing and then shaking her head. "I…I don't know…I'm just a bit…uncomfortable right now."

"About…?"

"Do…we really have to keep…destroying them…?"

Seth blinked. And then he chuckled. "Heh…I get it now." Ino frowned even deeper at his chuckle but blushed slightly as he pulled her into a hug.

"I understand your concerns. Under any other circumstances they'd be quite valid. But listen, Ino…this isn't like your case."

She pulled away and looked up at him.

"Gaia Memories are just _tools_. Like, _literally_. They have no thoughts, no feelings, no nothing. They're no different than a knife and fork."

"That's how _I _was supposed to be…"

"Yes but its different. You're a person. You always were. Gaia Memories are just concepts. Unthinking, unfeeling concepts. Listen, here's how it works: a Gaia Memory takes the conceptual memory of whatever's inside, and applies it to the user. That's it. Under normal circumstances, the user controls how the concept is realized. The thing is, since this is a literal _concept_ we're dealing with, normal people can't handle it after a while. The sheer conceptual power within, makes them go crazy. That's what makes Gaia Memories so dangerous. There are devices that could be made, that in a sense, dilutes the power of the Memory, creating a bridge between Memory and User, but that weakens the end result a little. And there are, some people who exist that match the Memory so well that they _don't_ go crazy, but the Memory is harder to remove, and can sometimes affect the user a different way."

She still didn't see how it wasn't like her.

"The thing is, we've only been dealing with Memories of _people_. Remember what happened with Arlene? And back at Christmas Town?"

"…she…they…fell out…the Memories fell out of their bodies…and the people were…turned back to themselves…?"

She started getting it.

"Exactly. What happens is the Memory, creates a shell around the user. Through that shell, the user can then wield the power contained within the Memory. The problem is, these Memories we've been dealing with, are of _extremely powerful and strong willed existences_."

"…so when someone activates one…the shell takes them over instead of simply…being like a suit of armor…?"

"That's exactly what's been happening. The Memory takes over, the user is, in a sense, knocked unconscious, and the personality sealed within the Memory has full control. Whoever that Memory is of, has every bit of knowledge and power they had up to the point the Memory was created, provided they lived that long, and if not, every bit up till their end, observed by the world."

"Can…I have another example…?"

"Sure. Ok…lets say there's a Memory of…Yesterday."

"So…of when Yuffie went nuts?"

"No, I mean of _Yesterday._ As in the temporal concept of 'yesterday'."

"That…can be done…?!" She was shocked. This was far more Immaterial than she thought!

Seth nodded. "So let's say someone uses the Yesterday Memory. What happens now, is they can then 'tag' someone, that causes them to repeat whatever they did the day they were tagged, at a specific time, the _next_ day. So say someone was tagged, and then they went swimming at three in the afternoon. Now, the next day rolls around, and they're having a business lunch at the top of someone's apartment building. Three P.M. rolls around, and the tag 'activates' causing them to suddenly begin moving as if they were going for the swim they had the day before. Only instead of jumping off a diving board…they jump off a building."

Ino's eyes widened.

"The wielder of the Yesterday Memory can tag whoever they want, specify a time-frame, and basically cause untold destruction or embarrassment. Or, theoretically, they could tag someone who was forecasted to die the next day, and have that person continue to exist because their _entire being_ is looping."

"That's…insane…"

"Now, for an example of what we've been dealing with. Someone makes a memory of…let's say Roxas." Ino unconsciously turned to Roxas, as the boy in question got a little nervous.

"Now, someone gives the Roxas memory to…I dunno, Leon or something. Leon activates it, and let's say he isn't using anything to dilute it. Just straight on activation. In that case, Leon would then be replaced with Roxas, knowing everything Roxas knows, doing everything Roxas can do. Literally a second Roxas would be where Leon is."

"…and that's what we've been dealing with? People who pick up Memories and accidentally activate them…only to be replaced by whoever the Memory was representing? And…when we…destroy the Memory, the people are okay?"

"Generally. The shell takes the brunt of the damage. Sometimes, there's some crossover damage but it's usually minor, some bruises, a broken bone at _most_. Someone would have to have a _very_ fragile existence, and be taken down in a _really_ nasty way before someone could die from it."

Ino nodded, slowly at first, but rising in confidence as she thought about it.

"Okay…I think I understand now…they aren't like me at all…"

"Not in the slightest."

"I'm sorry."

Seth sighed and brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. "Don't be. It was a reasonable concern. Plus, it was obviously something you needed to know. Now you won't hesitate in case you encounter another one."

Ino nodded. "But…wait…how can someone tell if someone's actually a Memory…and not themselves?"

"Err…well, the easiest way I guess would be if you could sense hearts…like Miri can. Or have some sort of Pure Eyes ability or some kind of Perception skill that can discern such natures…"

She nodded, a small frown on her face as she tried to puzzle out how one could tell the difference.

"You good?"

She nodded again, waving him off.

"Alright…well, I'm gonna need a small team for this."

"Wait you are?" Roxas blurt out. Usually Seth could handle things on his own…if not with Miri's help.

"Yeah just a couple people. Yuffie, you're with me."

"Shishou?"

"Memory or not, it's got Hades' powers. Yukianesa will be useful, if only for type advantage. Plus, the Hades Memory will be working on old information. Your new combat style will confuse it."

Yuffie nodded.

"Alicia, I'd like it if you'd join me as well."

Pushing aside the many naughty thoughts in her head, she blinked. "Eh? Uhh…okay…but why me?"

"You've killed a God before. A few of them actually. Even if this is a God different from the ones you have fought in the past, your experience would be very helpful."

She nodded. "I understand. I'll accompany you."

"Good. Alright…Yuffie!"

"Shishou!" She stood straighter.

"Make sure you've got a fair amount of tools on you. We won't have time to make more once we're in the battle, and I can't say we can find all the materials we need. Katon will be likely straight out, so stick to Suiton and Hyoton. You've made a few Migawari tools, correct?"

"Yes!"

"Good. You might need them. If we get in too deep, you're going to be our Blink-Tank, understand?"

She nodded. "Should…I worry about going Boom-Boom?"

That got some raised eyebrows. The hell was 'boom-boom' and why did she sound nervous about it? "No…there…should be no need for that. And honestly, even if there were, I'd want you to get out of there."

"Understood."

"Gather your tools and some potions and the like. I have no _real_ magic, and the only self-heal I've got is the Lifehunt spell. And I've never used it on a God before. Plus it takes a few seconds to charge, and I might not have time. Alicia, have you learned any stronger healing spells than the basic one?"

She flushed a little, shaking her head. "No…I've…been working on my swordplay mostly…I'm sorry."

"Meh, it's fine. We'll just need to be careful. I need one last thing before I can make a true battle plan…also, Sora, I'm stealing your Gummy Ship for this."

"Uhh…o…k…?"

"Aerith, is there anywhere around here that sells Fire Resistant things? Stuff that cuts down the damage done by fire attacks, if not outright nullifying it?"

"Umm…" The brunette woman thought to herself for a few moments. "Err…I think there was a Moogle shop in the plaza that had a few things. I don't know how much they'll have though"

"Worth a look, Yuffie, check that shop out while you get your supplies. Rings, bangles, belts, I don't care what it is, if it reduces fire, we want at least three of whatever they have."

"Understood, Shishou."

**Kingdom Hearts Re: Order**

**Chapter XII: **_**Crushing Memories**_

The plan was simple. Miri would accompany Yuffie in finding Hades. They would then lure him out to the Colosseum.

"_We __**don't**__ want to be fighting him in the Underworld. Even though it's a fake, it still mirrors the original almost perfectly. Hell to be honest I'd rather not fight him on that world __**period**__, but that might not be a viable option. The Underworld might give him some sort of boost. Or grant him near total immunity to our attacks. Plus, out of all of us, You and Alicia fit the concept of 'hero' more than I ever will. And Hades mentioned a clause he placed on the Underworld that locks the full power of 'heroes'."_

From there, they would attack in full, hopefully at least pissing him off badly enough that he wouldn't escape. But in case he tried, Seth had a plan.

"_There's a sort of…spell…it's more a runic array though. It creates an Immaterial Border around an area, keeping someone from escaping. Kinda like the walls I told you about, Alicia. Mine can be broken though…with enough force. Lynn and Elle were better Sealers than I was. But I can make one. So I'll start before Yuffie leaves to hunt him down, and hopefully while she's gone, I can finish before she gets back."_

The battle would be directed in their favor as much as possible.

"_First off, Yuffie will stay as mid to long range support. Take potshots at him with whatever tools you brought, a few Ninjutsu spells if you can get them out. Alicia and I will be front-line. I'm not going to use Crow Form if I can avoid it. Miri will be waiting. When we piss him off enough or get him weak enough, that's when Yuffie will come in. Alicia, you'll then hang back to rest and recover. That's when I'll probably go Crow form, to keep him on his toes. We might be able to finish him off with just that, but if not, or if he starts going after Alicia before she's back to combat-ready strength, Yuffie, that's when you'll trigger your Haste Materia, and I'll go Shadow."_

"_Why not just start with that and end it faster?" Yuffie asked._

"_That would normally be my plan, but I'm kinda running on the seat of my pants here. We know how he fights, so we know how to deal with him. But I've never personally fought a God to the Death. Even if all we're doing is dealing enough damage to weaken the shell. So we start off small, and work our way up, just in case he can take more punishment than our full might could bring out. I don't know if the world can heal him in some way, if he can regenerate somehow, or anything like that. Sora was never a major threat to him, just a really big annoyance."_

"_So we know his combat style, but not any special abilities he may hold, due to his station as God of the Dead." Alicia pointed out._

"_Yes. He's not the God of Death, so we don't have to worry about that. He simply rules over those that have died. But I don't know __**everything**__ that means. That's why after a bit, Alicia will back off to recover. I'm sorry hun but you're the weaker link here. Your spells take a bit to cast, and you don't know how to use Materia…yet. Plus, we __**really**__ need to get you a shield or a gauntlet for your free hand or something. Something to parry with. And a better sword. You've got the moves, that's why I brought you along. But we need to get you better tools."_

_Alicia sighed but nodded. It was true._

"_But I'll look into that as soon as we get back."_

_Alicia shook her head and grasped his chin with her hand. "Hey." He blinked. "Don't push yourself, alright? It's just been one big thing after another. You need time to relax too, ok? We'll deal with this, and then we'll look into getting me a new sword or something. But that's __**it**__. We'll worry about any advanced training __**much later**__."_

* * *

"Ok. Bro. I love you. But that was the most disgustingly fucked up thing I've ever done."

…_**the hell?**_

A girl with brown hair peppered with blonde, styled in a short pixie-cut, slowly pulled her pants back on. A young man, black hair to his shoulders, gave an empty chuckle.

"Be glad it was blood, and not something else."

"Oh hell no."

This time the laugh was more genuine.

…_**wait…is this a memory…?**_

"Nuh-uh. Never. Sorry." The girl shook her head rapidly and crossed her arms, entire existence radiating defiance.

"Believe me sis, I wouldn't ask if it was that. I'd have to find another way, presuming Lynn and Elle didn't fill the roles enough."

The young woman blinked. "Wait. So…you got it from _them_ too?"

"Yerp." The young man was fiddling with the caps of multiple vials, each one containing a murky red substance. He was placing what appeared to be small labels upon the sides.

"With you, that makes three. That should be enough for the ritual."

"And you think this'll work?"

He shrugged. "Tiamat's a Chaos Goddess. Who knows if it will work. But this is the most random what-the-fuck thing I could think of that vaguely fit the criteria for enhancement rituals. It probably only needed to be willingly given blood, but the idea of menstrual blood popped into my head for no gorram reason and who knows if that was my own fucked up thoughts or an implant from Tia?"

"Leanin' more towards it bein' you bro."

He nodded. "Yeah, same. But the idea ran through and…well I'd rather be overkill than under, ne? Elle and Lynn have synched up pretty close, so I got them last month. You were the last."

She shuddered. "Please don't tell me I ever have to do that again, I'd rather just let it fall to the back of my head. Under lock and key. And chains. Many, many chains."

He gave an empty grin. "Could always use that Keyblade of yours and lock the memory away."

The girl frowned. "I _could_…" She didn't like the way he sounded when he said it. It was no secret he wasn't…pleased…with the Keyblade. Oh he'd admit to wanting one of his own, but at the same time, not. All three of them knew he saw it as the reason why the world went to shit, and honestly, they agreed. And while he was glad it appeared if only because it permanently brought all three of them together, he wasn't _horribly_ chuffed about it.

They all agreed Humanity wasn't ready for such power. Not in the mass amounts it appeared in.

"But wouldn't that fuck up yer little ritual?"

He waved her off. "Ehh, probably not. Tia knows what you three did. And I know. And since the ritual is focused on me, just needing the blood of at least three close people to my heart to act as the pathways, you forgetting shouldn't matter. So go ahead if you wanna, I won't stop you."

It was definitely…not…something she wanted to partake in again. That was for sure. Having the man you considered your brother in all but blood, fiddling around with your lower regions was…awkward and uncomfortable enough. Adding in him having to do it during your period _definitely_ wasn't a thing she wanted to deal with ever again. But…they all knew that despite his charisma and his growing skill with a sword, he didn't have much by way of _power_. **They** were the ones with Keyblades, not him, which was something Elle was most displeased about. His minor gravitational fields were just that, minor. He could barely influence weight, and usually that only had to do with inanimate objects.

So a power increasing ritual, involving his patron Goddess would be…helpful. And while she wasn't the most versed on the Conceptual Being that was 'Tiamat', _he_ was. And she trusted him. So when he approached her with the idea, she hesitated a little, cause really that's just _nasty_. But ultimately, in the end, she knew that a small sacrifice of comfort would mean him being safer, in case none of them were around, was worth it.

Never again though. That was _way_ too weird.

He'd been unsurprisingly professional about it though. Usually, even with her he let a bit of the perversion out. And in those cases, she'd just roll her eyes and move on with the subject. Lynn and Elle were the ones who usually took him up on his antics, and that was mostly in trying to out-pervert him. Which they could. Especially if they teamed up. But none of that was present during the mildly uncomfortable procedure. Lucky for her he didn't really need to…go too far in. Just an eyedropper to draw out the blood a few times and he was done.

Took all of five minutes. Though admittedly that was probably the most uncomfortable five minutes of her life.

But…she wouldn't lock the memory away. Not after all they'd been through together. It wouldn't be fair, to him…or her for that matter.

"Anyway, we're done here Rev. I've got a couple more things to gather but then I'm gonna go set up for it. Might as well get it done."

"D'ya need any help? I mean…you're not gonna…_drink_ that…are you?" He was her _brother_. No matter what, he'd stand by her, and she would do the same for him. Weird ritualistic practices and all. Really though…

But he was always far more perceptive than any of them really understood. Too perceptive for his own good sometimes…

"Hell no. If that was the case I'd've scrapped the idea right off. No, I just got a couple crystals to pick up. I'll let you know how it went."

As he left the barren hospital room, that they'd taken refuge in for a few days, she frowned.

_Then why the hell do I feel like this is going to lead to something real shitty…?_

* * *

It worked.

It worked 'better' than any of them thought.

**BRRRRRRRREEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH**

And that whole city was going to see the results.

They didn't know how, or why…but Lynn had been taken. They caught her off guard, took her right under their noses. She was only a little beat up, she gave as good as she took, but there were more than a few mages with them. Good as she was, even with her Keyblade, she couldn't hold out against so many sleeping spells thrown at her. Elle had been pissed. Though Lynn was a sort of rival for His affections, and while Elle had been displeased with Lynn's stupidity, years before the Keyblade came, Elle knew how much Lynn meant to Him.

But even Elle's vast power over Temporal Fields wouldn't have been enough _vengeance_.

The three of them watched, as a giant, rabid, _feral_ looking Dragon float above the city. Two wings spread wide, the thin, fleshy membrane connecting the bones seeming torn and fragmented, like holes in a cloth. A massive, muscled, black scaled torso, leading into two big beefy scaled arms, five wicked claws at the ends. But rather than feet and a tail…there was just a _tail_. A long, spiked, wicked looking tail, spiraled like a coil, the tip with jagged spikes almost in the shape of a drill. Curved bone spikes on its shoulders, angled spikes on its forearms…it looked like a beast from the depths of hell.

Even from the hilltop over a hundred miles away from the city, the city itself looking like a small, flat disk, the buildings appearing like pricks in the landscape, his draconic form was quite definable.

The ritual connected him _directly_ to his Goddess. From then on, he was a bit stronger, a bit faster, could take hits more, had more stamina, which Lynn and Elle both enjoyed greatly. His mental state was more focused. Focused on protecting _them_. When Lynn was taken, once Elle had a path set out, he _tore_ through anything in their way. They _all_ did. It was as if his determination, his silent _rage_ was covering them as well.

It would make sense. It _was_ their blood he used.

But now…once they'd gotten her out of there…he went back. And _changed_.

It was one thing, to see the vaguely dragon shaped aura around him, lashing out as he did. To see him swing his arm, the aura writhing out and taking the form of a mighty claw, slashing at what he did. To witness him being able to channel _every_ conceivable element, in that state. Elle had reasoned that because he had connected to the _Heart_ of Chaos itself, the very primordial Goddess that birthed the lands, it made sense that _her_ power would encompass all elemental configurations.

But to watch him, become encased in that black shell, and grow, and _grow_ until he became that…_beast_.

It rampaged through the city, but now, hovered above it. The dragon's roars echoed in their ears, even from the distance they were at.

There was a mighty pulse, a ripple of air.

And in an impossibly huge dome of black, the city was no more.

Revan felt she should have been a little disturbed by the calculating, intrigued look on Elle's face, eyes seeming to twinkle madly behind her glasses. But they'd hurt one of their own. They'd hurt her only remaining _sister_, for her blood sister had been lost in the onset of the War. In fact it was _from_ her blood sister's death, that came her own Keyblade.

All of them had lost their families. Though the 'damage' done to them was variable. Seth felt freedom, Elle was a little unhappy, but ultimately preferred to be with Seth than her blood, Lynn was glad to be rid of them, and Revan herself…she was of multiple feelings. Some, she was glad to be rid of, others, like her sisters…no…she would have preferred them alive.

Still…they all had each other. And they all firmly believed, especially after this…nothing would ever separate them…nothing…

* * *

They all just watched at the completely obscene thing that was happening. Seth and Sora both, were touching Kairi's exposed chest. And all three of them seemed to be engulfed in a soft, unseen wind. And then, all as one, the three of them seemed to relax, loosing a soft sigh.

"Whoa…that was…weird." Sora said, detaching his hand from Kairi's chest and shaking his head to clear it.

"Welcome to my world." Kairi said. She stiffened suddenly, as Seth had removed his own hand.

"Alright…thanks you two. Now I can come up with a decent battle plan." He nodded to Sora and turned to walk away, when suddenly Kairi's arms shot out and wrapped around his. "eh?"

"…please be careful Master…it may just be a Gaia Memory but…just take care of yourself. It will be very…irritating…Life Link or no…for Master to die."

Her eyes were wide and glowing, the left one slightly brighter than the right. She was clutching his arm between her breasts, which, while not completely exposed, were still uncovered by her discarded tank-top.

Seth just gave a soft sigh. "y'know…anyone else would be a little vexed at your clinginess."

"Perhaps. But We know Master doesn't mind this position." She spoke cheekily.

Seth rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah…look…don't worry about me, alright? God or no, I'm not going down that easy. Not at least until the second date. Besides he's not my type anyway."

Kairi(?) giggled, while Ino flushed but did the same, the younger guys just stared blankly at him, and Alicia gave an un-ladylike snort.

"So don't worry so much. I'll be fine…_**Nu**_."

Unseen, a sudden _pulse_ went through Kairi's heart. Sora twitched in reaction. Internally, Seth smirked to himself. _Maybe that'll give her a much needed kick in the ass…_ Externally, Kairi's body _shuddered_, as suddenly the Anti-Form, now known as _Nu_ grew stronger in concept. A soft smile appeared on her face, while internally she was screaming in joy that he _finally_ named her.

"…promise you'll come back…?"

Seth finally turned around, grinning at her. "Fine. I promise."

She squeezed his arm, smiling. The world around them dimmed...her face became cloudy, hard to see…

_That's right…_

The sound of crackling flames overcame his senses.

_I promised._

His vision cleared. Fire all around him, heat trying to overcome his will.

_I __**Promised.**_

Slowly, the sound of the flames became muffled.

For all of them.

_**I keep my promises.**_

A strange pressure washed over all four combatants, three of them staring at the dome of pulsing distortion that had kept the flames from touching Seth. The fire seemed to get sucked in, Hades returning to his blue hue, blinking in surprise as now the flames were _spiraling _around his target.

Unseen by anyone, due to the bright orange fire…

For a brief moment…

Seth's eyes flickered grey.

"**Cero…**_**Inocentes.**_**"**

A _heavy_ pulse of pressure, and the flames rocketed away from him, being compressed and dispersed by the force. Surrounded by a soft haze, stood Seth, his shadow reaching out, Miri emerging.

"Yuffie."

The ninja nodded to him, stiffening, ready.

"Let's finish this."

Yuffie gave a malicious grin. "Hai, Shishou."

"Finish this? **FINISH THIS?!** When I'm done with you there won't be **enough ash to fill a TEACUP!"** The rampaging Gaia Memory form of the God of the Underworld, Hades had finally had enough of their impertinence. Once again, his flesh turned an angry red, flames roaring from his body, a pillar of heat and burning shooting towards the heavens.

Seth just stared, unimpressed. Miri flared with dark energy, giving the angry false-god a taunting smirk, before her body shimmered, her concept compressing and turning her into a crystal shard.

"Henshin."

* * *

_What…what was that…?_

"**Exactly what you think it is."**

Kairi whirled around. And there was her Anti-Self.

"…a memory. _His_ memory…"

The black haired shadow nodded. **"Of his first transformation using Mother Tiamat's power."**

"Why…did I see this?"

"**You wanted to understand. The memory slept within me, within **_**us**_**, but until you wanted to **_**know**_**, it wasn't available to you."**

"But…"

"**You can blame Aerith's questioning. Her questions about Master made you actually **_**think**_** about him, to answer her truthfully. And in doing so, you wondered about the nature of Mother Tiamat's connection to him. And now, you have your answer."**

"That was…kinda disgusting…"

The shadow shrugged. **"He did what he had to do. If Sister Revan had said no, he would have found an alternative. It was for their sake, as well as his own."**

"Can't argue with the results I guess…" Kairi muttered. "What do you think Aerith wanted?"

"**Who knows? Maybe she's trying to understand him better. Master **_**is**_** a rather complex being…at least on the surface. When you start to understand his methods, Master is quite simple."**

"Really?" Kairi was skeptical. "He never seemed that simple to me…"

"**There were too many things about him you have rejected. In order to understand something, even if you don't like a part of it, you must accept it. You have accepted his existence, but you haven't accepted **_**him**_**. Nor have you accepted your feelings."**

"Not _that_ again…" Kairi complained.

"**Yes **_**that**_**. And always **_**that.**_** Until the day you grow up and accept what you feel for him."**

"I. Love. **SORA.**"

"**Yes. Yes you do. But you also l-**

"NO I DON'T!"

The shadow sighed and rolled her eyes. **"Whatever. I'm bored with you."**

And once again, a painful pressure washed over Kairi, before she was thrown out of her own mind.

* * *

**Clock Over**

"Alicia! Now!"

Completely bypassing the Armored stage, Seth had immediately transformed into the Shadow state, triggering the Clock Up at the same moment Yuffie engaged her Master Haste Materia. For Alicia, it was barely two seconds since they'd disappeared from her senses entirely, before they'd both flickered back into existence, Hades' once glowing red body suddenly reverting to its blue state, as horrible gashes and bruises and many many impacts seemed to hit him at once.

He gave a chocked gurgling cry of _agony_, his body _shuddering_ in a way that didn't seem possible.

But Yuffie's call was her signal. Alicia gathered her spiritual energy within herself, as they'd planned, and dashed forward.

"Now is the time…" she muttered to herself.

During her mad dash, she drew her right arm across her chest, as if she were preparing to backhand something. Her sword was raised diagonally upwards, just past her ear. She swung down at an angle with her full weight behind the one-handed swing, pivoting on her left foot while kicking her right heel backward to force her body's momentum to continue in a quick 360 degree spin, lowering her blade to hip height and swinging again, completely horizontally.

"Finishing Strike!"

Following her proclamation, she stabbed forward, before twisting to build strength and swinging once again, diagonally from left to right, only from hip to torso instead of the reverse. This final blow contained just enough conceptual force to throw Hades into the air. But she realized something, while she was beginning what was called the "Soul Crush" in her world. The sword could not properly channel her psychic resonance. So she could not use the stronger technique she knew, which combined physical strength with mental prowess to perform "Object Materialization", summoning a trio of spears that would impale the enemy while containing the target in a sort of 'cage' of psychic force, prior to wielding her spiritual power and summoning one final spear to detonate the 'cage'.

But she was not without her own tricks, that didn't require as dense spirit energy.

A flick of her wrist, and a small orb of glowing light shot from her fingertips. Upon contact with Hades, a sudden wave of energy washed over his reeling body, encasing it in glowing amber colored crystal. She twirled once, gathering remnant spirit particles from the air, before throwing a second orb upward. Unlike before, _this_ time, when the orb connected with the crystal, space contorted, causing Alicia and the crystal to switch places. Pushing as much spiritual energy into both her sword, and the air around her as she could, she dropped from the sky.

"Nibelung Valesti!"

Her weight, combined with her momentum, and the gathered energy around her, all smashed into the crystal, shattering it to pieces and causing Hades to gurgle in pain once again. As soon as she landed, she realized that didn't finish it off.

"What? I thought I had it!"

"Not done yet!" Yuffie suddenly called.

The air around her grew frigid, as she held the sheathed Yukianesa in front of her, confusing Alicia, who was getting out of the way of what was clearly some level of devastating attack. Two fingers extended, Yuffie tapped the exact middle of Yukianesa's sheath, drawing her fingers back, delivering a command mentally to the sword. As she did so, her personal glyph, comprised of a large glowing snowflake encased inside a triangle with its three tips replaced by rotating circles of unintelligible lettering surrounding eight pointed shuriken, with the entire array surrounded by a much larger ring of lettering; took form in front of her, almost like a targeting array.

The glyph only remained for a few moments, but it was enough to convert the space around Yuffie to what she needed, drawing in the water molecules in the air and hyper-freezing them. Around the sheath formed what looked like frozen strands, as a single, large arrow made of crystal blue ice formed, the tail being held between Yuffie's forefingers and thumb of her right hand.

"**Hiyoku Getsumei!"** (lit. Ice Wing Moon Howl)

She released it. The arrow ripped through the air at an immense speed, piercing into Hades' injured flesh, boring into his chest, encasing him in a massive cage of ice. But it _still_ wasn't over.

"Ahh mou! How didn't that do it?!"

_**One. Two. Three.**_

"_**Rider…Crossing."**_

_**RIDER…CROSSING**_

Twin crescent shaped streaks of energy ripped through the air, crossed like an X. They impact the frozen Hades, shattering the ice surrounding him, as well as the rest of his body. A massive explosion of light and energy erupt from the impact zone, a small object being launched away, before a faint, but definite _**K-CHINK **_sound echoed just as the rumbling vibrations of the detonation faded.

The smoke settled, dust clearing…and Hades was no more.

The armor around Seth shattered, Miri returning to existence next to him.

"Go. Tell him we're done."

The little girl nodded, poking the air and stepping through a Dark Corridor.

And then Yuffie surprised the other two with her sudden cry of shock and recognition.

"PHIL?!"

* * *

"Ahh, good, you're back!"

Not ten seconds after walking through the doors to the Gathering Hall, Aerith had stepped up to Seth, who stopped in his tracks and blinked at the sudden appearance of the brunette woman.

"I'm glad to hear things went well." She said directly.

"Yeeeesssss…?"

"Good thing it's morning too."

"…sure…?" What did that have to do with anything let alone-

"So you'll be quite rested for our date."

Oh. Ok then.

Wait what.

"**WHAT?!**" came the outcry from pretty much everyone at once, save Seth, who just stared. Miri faded into view from his shadow, blinking rapidly at the brunette.

"Nothing fancy needed, just dinner and maybe a walk around town or so. Don't think too hard about it. Now I've gotta go grab a few things together, but I'll see you around seven. You already know where we all live. I'll take a rain check if something goes _horribly_ wrong but I've got a fair bit of good Karma around so I think our luck should hold out. Weather should be nice and clear tonight too. Then again you probably wouldn't need an umbrella anyway."

All of that came out in a rush. Seth was still wrapping his head around "date". With Aerith.

That he didn't even _ask_ for.

"Anyway, I'll see you then."

She flashed a quick grin and slipped past the quartet.

Miri turned to Seth, cocking her head to the side, gazing questioningly into his eyes.

"…well _that_ just happened…"

She frowned as a thought passed through his mind, bringing with it a twinge of irritation. She turned and made to poke the air when Seth held out an arm.

"No…no I wanna see where this goes." _Plus this gives me a chance to ask about that sword for Alicia…_

She nodded.

But unbeknownst to either of them, three specific people were _very_ displeased of the sudden change. And surprisingly enough…none of them were Alicia, nor Ino…

* * *

_Hmm…the blue one makes me look slimmer, but the pink one shows the goods off a little more…_

Aerith was in her private room, preparing for her 'date' with Seth. She wasn't planning on anything _major_ happening, but she felt it prudent to give him something to remember. After all, he clearly held no true romantic interest in her, and it _was_ her that rather forced the idea on him.

She'd spent the few days he was gone asking about him. Different topics with different people. She wanted a clearer view on Yuffie's new best friend and teacher. Aqua had admit she knew very little about the man, only what she'd seen, which gave her a mixed view on him.

"_One moment he's kind, somewhat perverted, and mildly amusing. The next, he's like a cold, unfeeling death machine. I've never really tried to hold a conversation with him, to be honest. I really should…it __**is**__ because of him that I'm here…"_

Aerith knew Kairi was conflicted, and _Nu_ was clearly in love with him. Roxas didn't know anything, but Sora was a little clearer than Kairi.

"_He seems like he's got a good heart. He's just…different. Final. More direct I guess. Kinda like Riku, only much…stronger? No…there's a word for it but I can't think of it right now."_

So she went to Riku.

"_I hate what he did to Kairi. I hate that he was there when the Islands were destroyed. But…he's saved our lives just as many times as he's threatened them. He'd kill me in a second, hell, his influence almost made __**Kairi**__ do it. But I'll admit that was in reaction to me being kind of an ass. He's dangerous…possibly the most dangerous person I've ever met. And I had Ansem possessing me for a little while. I don't trust him. At all."_

Even if Yuffie was around, Aerith wouldn't ask her about Seth. She already knew what the girl would say. Thus there was also no reason to ask Ino about him either. Ino had made clear her stance on Seth, when she challenged and held her own against him those weeks ago. The girl clearly loved him, cherished him…to the point she was willing to risk her life to make sure he was able to keep control of himself.

And _that_ is why Aerith was interested. What kind of man garners that level of _dedication_? So many different sides of him have been seen…hateful, loving, deadly, gentle, perverse, serious…it was nearly impossible to keep tabs on him.

From afar at least. And that's why she was doing this. She wanted to _know_. It helped that some part of her sensed…maybe he could give her what _she_ wanted. There was one thing she'd noticed. He made _desire_ happen. She had no idea if he knew it, or noticed it. But he made things happen around him. Changes. **Truths**. Things that were hidden became revealed, such as Kairi's feelings for Sora, the plot against the Restoration Committee, Yuffie's buried jealousy and feelings of inferiority…

_Her_ suppressed feelings.

She wasn't a violent sort. Not really. But she'd fought…many things. She _died_ getting run through with a sword almost as tall as a small building. She _saw_ the memories and laments of millions, drunk in their sorrow, bathed in their pain. Watching him tear Yuffie apart…it _hurt_…but at the same time it was _alluring_. Such _power!_ Seeing him be held off by Ino…seeing him almost _destroy_ the city…it was _incredible_.

He was…such a…a…_**man.**_

He had issues, clearly. But he held at least some of all the traits she found attractive. Even if nothing came of it in the end…

It's been _years_…since she was last _held_.

It's high time she _did_ something about it…now that the right _prospect_ has shown up.

_Pink one. It's closer to what I normally wear, which won't make him feel like he's underdressed or anything. I'll just forego a bra. I think I've got something semi-transparent to wear over it…_

Satisfied, she closed her closet door, intending to garb the dress and check herself in the mirror. However, rather than just her reflection, holding her dress, she saw-

"Kairi?!"

Indeed. Aerith whirled around, and there was Kairi, standing there suddenly, _glaring_ at her.

"What the hell are you playing at?"

But it wasn't just _Kairi_ talking. Her voice was overlapped with the higher yet deeper tones of her Anti-Existence, Nu.

"E-Excuse me?" Aerith took note that the girl's eyes were glowing. The shimmer put her on edge. And as if that wasn't enough, she felt…odd. Like she was being pushed.

"You don't know him. You never even showed any interest in him. What is your game, Aerith."

"I…" Was the Princess jealous? Was her other half? "I…that's…why I asked for the date. To get to know him. You…you're right about me not showing much interest in him, but you have to forgive me, I was quite confused by his existence. Seeing how he interacted with Miri, and with Yuffie…compared to every other time I've seen him…I want to understand him better."

"Such understanding could have easily come from simply talking with him, over time."

"I know. But I want to see _him_. Just talking, I can only broach so many subjects. To see him in a more relaxed situation, a…casual type of surrounding, just one-on-one, with no other distractions…that's what I want. I know how he is in battle, I know how he is with friends, I want to see him in another light. I want to _understand_. You saw how he was with Miri when she was hurt! That was the first time any of us, at least of the Restoration Committee, saw him speak so _carefully_ so…so _lovingly_. She means the world to him, and I could _taste_ it practically!"

"That's not all."

Aerith blinked, surprised. She then frowned and sighed.

"You're right. That's not all of it. Kairi…_Nu._ Both of you…you don't…know how it is for me with the others. I feel more like…like a warrior, than an actual woman. We're always so busy fixing things and helping people out…I never have time to feel like a damn _girl_ anymore. Cloud is evading his feelings for Tifa, who is two steps away from simply tearing off her shirt and shoving his head to her chest. Leon is hung up about his failures from before, as well as obviously harboring a broken heart over _someone_ that he only vaguely mentions when he slips up. Cid is…well he's not my type in the slightest."

The redhead girl rose a single eyebrow.

"I'm not interested in girls that way, so Yuffie's out, and even if I was she's like my little sister. There was _one_ guy but he…disappeared a long time ago, and even if I could find him again I doubt he remembers me. He was always going on about wanting to become a hero anyway…"

"So why _him?_"

"Besides the previous? He's cute. He clearly has a _very_ loving heart, even if we haven't seen it much. Plus, Yuffie, you two, Ino and Alicia are all interested in him for _some_ reason. I want to understand _why_. Plus I get the feeling he'd let me truly _relax _for once. I…we've only seen the sides of him where he was angry, or unstable, or under a request…I want to see the side of him that you all see."

"…and that is all?"

"As far as I can tell. It's not like I expect anything to come of this. I'm just looking to have fun and get to know him better. There's no way I'm even going anywhere _near_ what Lea did."

Kairi didn't seem very convinced.

"If you hurt him, in _any_ way." Aerith gulped as the girl's eyes seemed to flare. "Even a Gaia Memory won't be able to bring you back."

A shimmer of air seemed to surround the red haired girl, before she vanished. Aerith took a deep breath, shuddering. _That…was quite possibly the freakiest thing I've ever dealt with. I really felt like she was going to cave my chest in._ Kairi had long since 'downloaded' a weaker form of Seth's Gravity Well. When she and Nu were focused on the same thing, a pressure wave would be constant.

Aerith just experienced first hand what it meant to be facing something that could _erase_ you with just a thought.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. _Focus girl! You're taking a serious risk with this. Have to do this __**right**__._

She turned, only to jump in fright.

"Guaaah!"

Yuffie was sitting just inside her window, frowning at the brunette.

"What the hell are you doing Aerith?"

The brunette panted, clutching her heart. Seth's training _really_ did wonders for Yuffie's stealth! She didn't even _sense_ the girl!

"Trying not to have a heart attack."

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "With _Seth._ A _date_? _Seriously_? You don't even _like _him like that!"

Aerith blinked. _Didn't I _just_ go through this with Kairi five minutes ago?_

"I just want to get to know him, is all. Have some fun. Maybe give him a good time as well."

Yuffie stared, as if trying to see through any deception that Aerith would bring forth. It hurt, a little, that Yuffie didn't trust her as much any longer. But then Aerith realized, it might not so much be Aerith herself that Yuffie didn't trust, but her motivations.

"…don't hurt him, Aerith. Whatever you do."

The elder brunette sighed. "I know, I know…you'll beat me to a pulp."

"…Kairi would order you dead, Aerith." Aerith blinked, a little surprised. "I'd rather that _not_ be an order I end up _wanting_ to follow."

* * *

"I'm not underdressed am I?"

Was the first thing Seth spoke to her after greeting her at her door.

Aerith wasn't completely dressed up in the sense of fanciness, but she did look...prettier than usual. Which was saying something because even coated in the blood of her enemies that woman could look good. All in all, what she wore was simple: a button-less version of her normal pink dress, underneath a semi-transparent white long-sleeved button up shirt, worn as a jacket. Her hair, for once, was done in a lazy low ponytail, held by a _red_ ribbon, rather than her usual pink. It was different. No less beautiful, but different.

Aerith giggled at him slightly, the sort of puzzled look on Seth's face being amusing to her. "No silly, you're fine."

Seth shrugged. "You look nice, I guess. Then again when _don't_ you look nice?"

Aerith giggled again. She dismissed the second sentence as an attempt to flirt due to his tone of voice. He sounded genuinely questioning.

"Well, thanks for the compliment, I think?" She quipped, raising her eyebrows slightly in amusement.

He shrugged again, as the two began walking. "Just sayin'. I dunno, you just consistently look the most…pretty? Elegant? Beautiful I think would be the word that fits most. And it seems effortless on your part. I don't see any makeup on you, maybe a bit of foundation…but nothing else. Someone naturally beautiful like that…rare to find."

Now she was **blushing**. That was _completely_ unexpected of him! _Wow, sounds like I made the right choice asking him out. He knows __**exactly**__ what to say to a girl._

"Now _that_ was a compliment if I ever heard one." She giggled out.

He rose an eyebrow in response. "I guess if you want to take it as one. I'm just pointing out an observation is all."

She sighed happily. "Observation or not, it's still nice to hear."

"Believe me when I say if you looked like shit, I wouldn't sugar coat it. I'd tell you directly: 'you look like shit.' I don't like bullshitting people about stuff like that."

She quirked her jaw in a strange way, giving him a squinty glare, before pouting at him. "At least put it gently?"

"Pfft. Screw that. Straight and to the point is best with stuff like that. It _hurts_ but if it's direct then there's no sense of veiling at all. No question of 'was that meant to be hurtful? Or was that simply just a direct statement?' Better straight on than hidden, yeah? This way you know it wasn't meant so much to be hurtful, but as a simple opinion."

"You are a strange man." She said plainly, hint of a smile tugging at her lips. _Yes! This is __**exactly**__ what I wanted!_

He looked at her, eyelids lowered as if gazing at her tiredly. "I just took down the to-scale mirror image of a **God** and am now going on a date with a woman I know _nothing_ about – _**Aerith Gainsborough. 22. Last Cetra. Back-line caster with moderate skill in staff combat. Previous known hobbies include: Gardening, Selling Flowers. Last known to be **__**dead.**__** Current life contributed to idea that with world lost, its last act was to grant her a body once again, so she may continue her existence. Close link with natural energy. Threat Level: Moderate.**_ – and you're _just_ now realizing that?"

It was strange. In the middle of his sentence…he suddenly _knew_. Maybe not _everything_, but he suddenly knew _a lot_.

_But why would I be assessing her __**threat level**__ of all things?_

"Perhaps now is just me finally vocalizing it." She countered, before stopping suddenly. "Ahh, here we are." To their right was a large restaurant. Upon quick appraisal, Seth noted it seemed to specialize in pastas of various sorts.

"Shall we go in?" she offered.

* * *

"So, Seth, tell me about yourself."

The two had settled down to dinner. A soft echo of murmured voices over the sounds of slow, calming string instruments resonated through the restaurant. Their dishes were served – in surprisingly fast time – and the two dug in. Aerith with chicken marsala over angel hair pasta, and Seth with shrimp scampi over linguini. And Seth was enjoying it immensely.

"Y'know…" Seth said between bites. "You didn't have to demand a date to pick my brain."

Aerith blinked a moment, having to _focus_ not to choke on her food. He was so _perceptive!_ Then again…she _did_ pretty much give it away with that not-query…

She swallowed, before taking a sip of her white wine – Seth had declined. "over twenty years without touching the stuff in any form…outside of cooked into food to the point you can't notice it. No interest in testing it now." And instead opted for a glass of water – to clear her throat, and pause while she figured out how to proceed.

"Maybe…but it's been far too long since I've been on a date with anyone. A girl has needs, you understand."

"Still, why me? You've got your pick of the city honestly. Hell, you've got your pick of many _worlds_. With the tech _and_ magic you have access to, you could have anyone."

Aerith nodded. "Yes…but how many of them took down Gods? How many of them killed my best friend, only to revive her, and _train_ her to be stronger than any of us could imagine?"

Seth paused, fork speared with a shrimp wrapped in pasta, inches from his mouth, before he frowned.

"Oh…that didn't come out right at all…" Aerith said, looking panicked. "I meant to highlight your most notable achievements. I mean…yes, I won't lie, I was quite angry with you before…but then you brought Yuffie back to life, and proceeded to turn her into the most dangerous person this side of Sephiroth! I've thought about it a lot. And from what little I could get from your interactions with Miri, and the others, you…don't seem like a bad person. Not in the slightest. Just a lost soul…doing what needs to be done."

He made a soft noise, looking anywhere but her.

_**DAMMIT!**__ Me and my big mouth! I've made him uncomfortable now! Ok…ok I need to start this over…_

She gently reached out and grasped his left wrist, lying on the table. For a moment she flinched, feeling the whole _world_ rattle around her. _That must have been the field Ino kept talking about._ An uncomfortable pressure washed over her body, feeling like every piece of flesh, every scrap of bone, was about to be crushed. The feeling lasted for just a moment, but it was enough to convey what was clearly his emotions.

But she refused to heed the warning.

"Seth…please look at me."

Irritated, confused, _lonely_, and a bit intrigued that she didn't back off from the flare-up, Seth turned his head slightly, looking at Aerith out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm sorry." She stated plainly. He blinked. "You're an unknown to me…to all of us. And we've seen you in many states. You are…a mystery. You are confusing. But I wish to know the you that appeared when Miri was hurt. The you that spoke to Alicia about a conceptual phrase. The you that gained Yuffie's trust and adoration. I've seen pieces of him, but I want to know more."

"Why."

She withdrew her hand, frowning to herself. She gave a small huff of air.

"…why indeed?"

She sat there, thinking for a few moments, not noticing Seth had turned and sighed, deciding to get back to his food.

"…you interest me. And…I'd like for at least _one_ of us to be on your side…should something go wrong."

He rose an eyebrow.

"The others…well, mostly Leon…they…don't really understand Yuffie. Not anymore. Well, to be honest, I don't think any of us ever truly did. But now…now that we've seen what she was training to actually do…the rest of them…besides maybe Cloud…don't really seem to click with her any longer. I'm a nerd. Simple as that. So I know my tales of Ninja…the…things they do. How they operate. And I understand…what it is you and she are doing…for this city."

He made an interested noise. But still didn't speak. This was _her_ show, after all.

"I can't say I'll ever understand what you and Yuffie shared, during your training. But I'd like to know you for myself…and to be able to stand up to the others and tell them you _aren't_ a bad person. You…I…will never be able to tell them you aren't a threat to us…because someone with your power, and will…will always be a threat in some way. But I at least want to get them off your back."

"Why? What does it matter to you if they do or not? This isn't my world. My world is gone. Long gone. Destroyed. Not consumed, not displaced. Destroyed. I have no home. I am not from here. So why?"

"You…are connected to our Princess. You are…a Keyblade wielder, like her boyfriend. You've trained our resident Ninja. I…want to give you a place here…should you wish for it."

"_Why?_"

She looked up from her lap, uncertainty fading away.

"Because I _choose_ to."

He looked at her. Brown gazing into green. They held the stare for a few moments.

He sighed and nodded, closing his eyes.

_Alright Miri. Your senses haven't led me wrong yet._

"What do you want to know?"

Aerith blinked rapidly, surprised. _Just like that? What…what did I say? What changed it? Boo! Even when he's cooperating he's still confusing!_

She gave a soft smile. _I suppose that's…a rather attractive trait…_

"Whatever you feel comfortable with telling me."

"…that's a pretty wide spectrum. You're gonna have to narrow it down."

She pouted for a bit…and then nodded to herself.

"Your powers."

"Which ones?"

"The ones that act like telekinesis."

"What, my Void element?"

"…Void…Element?"

…_eh?_

"Yeah…Void element. It's one of the Immaterial Elements."

"…ok I have no idea what you're talking about and that makes me **very** interested."

"Ok, you know the four main elements of Earth, Fire, Water and Air, right?"

"Yes." She nodded. He had to blink again. The girl looked _hungry_.

_Dafuq?_

"Right…anyway. We used to classify those as the 'Tangible' elements. Because you can in some way actually touch them. Or rather, they have a physically based effect. The next two of the Core Six are Darkness and Light. Those, are the _Intangible_ elements, because without specific fuckery, you can't easily touch them. They _normally_ don't have a physical effect."

"Ok…I think I get you."

"Right, and the seventh Core Element, is technically Void, but for most, it's Time. Time being the one thing that all of the other six are affected by. The thing is, the first four, when fused right, can make the second two. Earth and Water each add to a fragment of Darkness, with Fire and Air adding to become Light."

"How?" Aerith cut in.

"Earth conceals. Water, when dense enough and pushing you far down enough, blocks light with its depths. Thus both can create darkness."

"So…in the inverse…Fire…illuminates, chasing away the shadows…but what does Air do?" her head was tilted.

"Blows away obstructions, and fuels the Flame."

"ahh, I get it now. And like you said before, they're all connected to Time…"

"Exactly."

"So what is Void then? Shouldn't that be Non-Elemental?"

"You're partially right. The Void does technically classify as Non-Elemental. But it is primarily an element of Concept, thus, Immaterial."

"How so?"

"The Void covers things that aren't tangible or intangible yet still felt, like the first Seven, with Time getting a pass. The Void covers things like, Space, Gravity, Power, Mind, Souls…Death…and so on."

"…things that exist…and in some way can be measured…but are more conceptual than material."

"That's right. You can measure space…but the numerical value, as well as its definition, changes depending on where you are. And some worlds aren't capable of measuring space. So while five feet is five feet, or five meters is five meters for any of us, what is a meter? What is a foot in terms of spatial value? Who are we to say we are the correct, and nobody else is?"

"What if for our world, five meters is one distance, but to apply that to another world, it would be far less, or far more?"

"There you go, you got it."

"So the Void Element encompasses things that can't truly be measured without dispute?"

"Well it's like I said, the Immaterial. On top of which, Void elementals tend to kinda borrow from other classes of Void elementals. Like take me, my Power is Gravity. Gravity is an Immaterial concept. Through gravitational distortions I can move things like a Telekinetic, I can bend and tear holes in Space, I can compress Reality around me to the point that even Time distorts. I could possibly even cut a Soul…or even kill Death."

"And because it's an Immaterial thing…you can mould it in ways that even the Intangible elements can't touch." She was astounded.

"Black holes are so strong that even light gets sucked in. Reality can distort to the point that even Darkness is torn. Black holes don't so much create darkness, as they simply erase everything."

"…and that's the basis of your power…to…erase everything?"

"In a sense. Gravity can create…yes. But it can destroy even easier."

She took another sip of her glass of wine. "Can I have examples please?"

"Well, on the creation aspect…planets, for one."

Aerith nodded. That was simple.

"On a smaller scale…I could probably compress stuff like metal. Maybe even glass or crystal. The power requirements used to be beyond me but…well under the right conditions, I might have the Imagination for it."

"Are we talking spatial compression to the limits of reality distortion, or are we talking something simpler?"

And now Seth was interested. Aerith really _was_ a nerd. He always did like the intelligent ones…

"Simpler. I'd probably kill myself if I tried to tear open a Marble…even with Tia boosting me…"

"Marble?"

"What we used to call mid-to-high grade Reality Distortions. We called them Reality Marbles. It was a bastardized term for 'Innate Bounded Field' which was the larger scale version. You'd compress space or 'declare' an area as 'yours'. In the sense that your particular energy wavelength would saturate a designated space around you to the point where you temporarily became 'God'. A Reality Marble would be a localized space in which you controlled everything, but were usually created only to do one thing, and one thing alone. Also, most worlds that are at least partially awakened, don't like the concept of a space within their space without their permission, and would try to crush it."

"What were they used for?"

"The few we encountered were mainly for healing purposes. There were a few that had been created on top of Leypoints, that is to say, locations where the planet's natural energies were strongest; to act as defense arrays. The Japanese had a few around Tokyo City for example, that would designate a space for combat. If the Anchor for that space was killed during a fight, the field would collapse and all damage done to the surroundings would suddenly exist. If the Anchor won, or at least survived, all combat damage done was negated. It was basically a sort of seal housed in someone's Heart, that if they perished, the seal would break and anything damaged would stay that way."

"Incredible…"

"Risky. In their case, the City itself had become so damn saturated with magical energy that it became semi-sentient. It was naturally born though, so the World didn't try to kill it, and accepted the existence of those defensive Marbles. Still, from what I understand, it was horribly draining."

"Were there any other equally powerful ones?"

"Well…it was speculated that each Keyblade had its own Marble. The ability to convert a given space to the wielder's wavelength at any time. And since the Keyblade was born from the Heart, and thus a sort of pseudo-natural existence, those Marbles were generally ignored by the Planet. Out of the girls, Elle's was strongest…but hers wasn't sustainable for long. Or rather, she didn't like holding it."

"What did it do?"

"She called it 'System Chronos'. When it was active, she had _full_ control over her own personal timeline. Injuries she sustained, she could literally ignore by passing them forward. She could keep her stamina and energy levels at maximum by draining them from the future. If she died, she could replace herself with a her from another timeline, sacrificing that version of her in her place. She could be anywhere at any moment, as long as she had been there before, or was _going_ to be there at some time in the future, making it seem like she could teleport."

"Why didn't she like holding it active?"

"Because it was dangerous. The backlash was that any injury she took and replaced, she'd have to _send_ somewhen. If she sent it backward, she risked hurting herself at an earlier time, and thus possibly crippling herself prior to the fight. If she sent it forward, then whenever she sent it, she'd receive it. I watched her take a gash in the leg, and have nothing happen, and then two days later, she sat down suddenly, pulling out her medical supplies, and then screamed as her leg ripped open. Her death would mean the death of another her from another time. And sometimes she ran the risk of drawing a her from the current timeline's future."

Aerith nodded, reaching and grasping his hand again. Clearly this topic saddened him, but he also sounded…proud…at the same time.

"Kairi mentioned…Elle. She said that was your Apprentice. She said you traveled with three women."

"Yeah. Elle was the best…they all were."

"Who were the other two? Did they have Reality Marbles as well?"

"Yeah…Revan's was fun. She called it 'Gaze of the Black Sun'. While it was active she could manifest and manipulate black flames. All manner of Fire turned black, any conjured or otherwise created fire turned black immediately once it appeared, and she gained control over it. She could manipulate it in any form she wanted. And it turned things to ash the moment it touched them. It was…a unique combination ability. It both burned, but also _drained_ heat and moisture from objects, making them brittle and weak. Not even Fire Elementals of the highest order could defend against it. The downside was it made her really dehydrated after, and gave her a crazy headache. She overdid it once…she was sick for a week."

_All of them…so…powerful. We needed Materia…or rather, they did. Once I was with the Planet I didn't need it much but…even then…I could only direct the Lifestream…_

"And Lynn…Lynn's was weird. But it fit her. I named it 'Bloody Chaos'. One cut, one _scratch_ was all she needed. A single drop of blood, if it fell while her Marble was active, she could then gain full control over that person's blood, to the point where she was able to control people's bodies by forcing their bloodflow to act like puppet strings. Even she barely knew how _that_ worked. She could tear it out of someone at will, stop its flow to back up their heart and cause it to erupt, even make it denser, condense the metal within it to various shapes. But she didn't use the last one too often, she couldn't control the metal, just the blood. Backlash to that was her periods _sucked_. Horrible cramps and really heavy flow."

Aerith instinctively cringed. "Wait…which one was which?"

"Revan…was my sister in all but blood. And Lynn…"

He sighed, before smiling grimly.

"Lynn was my wife."

* * *

Miri sighed, snuggling closer to his chest. Her body was still tingling from the three orgasms she had during their usual bath session. A soft grin appeared on her face as she recalled Seth's bewildered expression at the third. Actually, if she thought about it, he was _still_ confused about the whole thing. She stifled a giggle, not wanting to wake him. It wasn't his fault…ok it was. But not in the normal way.

She took his emotions, the ones he kept under lock and key, and drew them into herself. Of course, just her luck the emotions he kept locked away happened to be on the Lust scale. Once she grasped them, she did what he couldn't, and released them. A stroke of her back, washing her hair…small, simple, _normal_ things would set her off during those times. It was always funny to see him blank out during those moments, as if not sure if he wanted to disbelieve what just happened. She hadn't told him about her actions yet – really what good would it do? – but she would.

Eventually.

As it was, tonight was only so…intense…due to the end of his date with the planet-girl. Miri had been quietly feeding him information of her emotional status throughout the night. And listening in on the conversation, while also monitoring _his_ condition. The planet-girl seemed a decent enough sort. Genuine concern in her, genuine interest. No real romantic attachment, just a vague, faint sensation of desire.

And then the goodbye came. And had sensed a well of disappointment begin to brew in the girl. Judging from the fluctuations, Miri deduced that the girl was interested in a kiss to end the night. Miri sent that notion to Seth, wondering how he'd handle things. He had no need to appease the planet-girl, especially since the crucial romantic and/or sexual attraction usually included in such invitations was missing; thus undermining the whole idea…as far as Miri could tell.

But he surprised them both, and kissed her anyway.

And of course, the planet-girl, taken aback, but welcoming it, pushed it a little further, where her dear Seth matched.

Yet then Miri sensed a spike of Lust, tempered by _need_, spark in the planet-girl. An echoing feeling of _time_ washed over the Guardian, giving Miri the sense that it had been quite a while since the planet-girl was even _touched_ in such a manner, and that such feeling was sorely missed. Miri felt invasive – but not _pervasive_ – tendrils rip from the planet-girl's heart, reaching for Seth's. Tendrils of lost love, of _desire_ of _**frustration**_, years of built up repressed needs and wants of a romantic and sexual nature, hidden behind a stoic wall of kindness and care.

And _knowledge_. Miri was impressed to note the planet-girl _knew_ Seth could give her what she so badly needed. The release she _craved_. And that _nothing_ besides maybe becoming a little closer, would change between the two. The planet-girl was practically _begging_ for it, _pleading_ subconsciously, emotionally, to have at least **one** damn release.

And Miri felt Seth begin to respond. He needed release as well. Perhaps even worse than the planet-girl. _She_ had simply not found anyone worthy. Wheras he…_lost_ his loves. They were gone. And he was bottled up because of it. _She_ was waiting. _He_…

Was _afraid_.

That revelation startled Miri, who was about to tear down the wall keeping _his_ tendrils from reaching out. A _second_ wall snapped up, one filled by _fear_. It was so _loud_, so _strong_ that she couldn't tell the source of the fear. But the wall blocked his desires, blocked his _need_, and even as the planet-girl was grasping at his jacket, _physically_ demonstrating her desire to tear his clothes off and have her way with him, he broke their building temporary link.

While she was disoriented, confused, overloaded, he stepped away, and Miri knew it was too late to stop him. She opened a Door, and he stepped through. The planet-girl made to follow, to _push_, and Miri silently applauded the girl's will…but Miri knew what she didn't, and to allow the planet-girl to follow her intended wish would lead to disaster.

Oh the girl might be able to push past his walls…but he would resent her for it, after. On top of which the fear would distort what were such _pure_ feelings. He'd likely end up completely dominating the coupling, and while the planet-girl would probably be too far gone into the embrace of pleasure to realize it…he would.

And while releasing such…_putrid_…**corrupted** feelings would be _good_ for him to do…he didn't have the sort of link with the planet-girl, that he felt was needed.

A link of equals…of feelings beyond lust and desire.

So Miri stopped the planet-girl, by appearing before her. She watched the planet-girl freeze, cognitive function restored from the haze of need and desire, giving way to wariness, concern, and small specks of fear. Miri gave the planet-girl a soft smile to appease her, but ultimately shook her head. As wanted as it was, for all _three_ of them…now was not the time to push.

"_Give him time."_ Miri had spoke. _"Perhaps one day…but now is not then."_

Miri couldn't fully tell if the planet-girl understood, but she had stepped back, accepting things.

"_If possible, tell him I had a good time? And…" _Miri had blinked, confused by the planet-girl's hesitation. _"…and that I'll be waiting for when he's ready. After all, I doubt I'll find anyone who can give me what I want around here…so I'll wait for him. Oh! And please tell him I'll start looking into that sword as well."_

Yes…the planet-girl did not harbor true romantic feelings for her dear Seth, but saw that he could indeed do for her what she needed. Which he could. Easily. Even were it not to be of a sexual nature, he's a skilled problem-solver. She needed release. Badly. And the few men in her life were either too close, taken, or just simply unappealing in that nature. The planet-girl was quite similar to Seth, Miri mused.

They both wished for _some_ form of connection, before the next step was taken, even if no relationship was born of it. They wanted a certain level of trust, to be between them, and their target. No regrets.

Yes…should Seth have been consciously looking for a mate, the planet-girl would be good for him. So would the Kunoichi, for that matter…though for different reasons.

Miri made a soft noise of interest in her mind. He seemed to draw in many females for some reason. Kairi was explained away by their link. Nu was a special case. Ino was drawn to him by his honesty and understanding. Alicia became drawn to him due to his displays of honor and intelligence, as well as his genuine concern. Out of all of them, Ino and Alicia were broken…fragmented. Ino was in recovery, with Seth as her foundation, and Roxas her pillar. Alicia had mostly recovered, but the scars were still healing, and despite their less-than-stellar meeting, Miri sensed that Alicia considered Seth the reason why she met such wonderful friends.

Friends who _cared_, and had no interest in using her as part of a greater plan.

Yes…Miri sensed some quiet resentment towards the being known as Silmeria, from Alicia. Not enough to contaminate their relationship, but enough that it was detectable. Alicia unconsciously compared the two situations, both times she was thrown into something she didn't ask for, brought about by the will and desires of another. But while the first time was a continuous struggle for survival, with heartbreak, betrayal and the sense of simply being a tool for someone else's will, peppered by moments of brief happiness and hope, punctuated with the deaths of her parents, the destruction of her home, and eventually _her_ demise…

The second…originated in disgust and disdain…but gave way to wonder. Miri had tracked Alicia's emotions carefully, noting that the girl disliked Seth at first, but that was quickly eroded at by his genuine concern, and his intent to make sure she was safe and cared for. Combine with Alicia's sense of…comprehension, for Seth's situation and pains of betrayal and loss, and Alicia could see the man behind the monster. She found a kindred soul in Seth, and that notion gave birth to a myriad of emotions.

Miri giggled to herself, remembering the flare of _Lust_ that came off of the blonde once-princess, when Seth was explaining how to kill a God. Yes…those two would be good for him as well. Ino was determined to be by his side, no matter what. That is what she learned of love and friendship, that is what she believed in. And honestly that's what she _wanted_. Alicia shared a similar determination, but had the will to tell him off should he do something she did not approve of. _Both_ were qualities he needed and sought.

And it helped that both of them wanted him in a more intimate manner. While Ino would be content sharing him, still feeling unworthy of having someone such as Seth or even Roxas, all to herself, Alicia had lived in an age where multiple wives, - while nowhere near common – were considered a symbol of station. And if not wives, then one wife, and many mistresses.

Seth, on the other hand, grew up where such practices were frowned upon, and were not generally accepted by the populace, outside of certain sects. And even then, he had explained to her once, the men held all the power, and more often than not the women were just fuck-toys, or considered tools. And ultimately considered to be beneath their male counterparts. And worse was that in many situations, the women had no choice but simply to accept it, such was the ways of their mental conditioning and reconfiguring.

"_Situations like those give relationships involving multiple partners a bad reputation. It's entirely possible for two people to care for and be with a single focus. It just requires a much greater range of emotional and mental resonance than if just between two people. But humanity…at least as I knew it…wasn't fully capable of such things. After the Keyblade came, perhaps unsurprisingly, such multi-way relationships started popping up more. Probably because the Keyblade was a weapon of the Heart, and through it, resonances of emotion could come easier._

_It's difficult, no doubt. But for it to work there must be understanding and communication between all involved parties. I hate saying it, but having a focused wife, and a supported mistress, or a focused husband and a male concubine or whatever they wanna be called, is technically the easiest way. It's stupid but it kinda makes a little sense unfortunately. The focused married couple would hold the title, and the support would be just that, support. At least on the surface it would appear easier. No doubt it'd be hard anyway. Which is why communication and comprehension is needed just as much as emotional resonance._

_Especially between those grasping the focus. Otherwise ire and jealousy can build. Such configurations are difficult, but the most ideal one, is one where all are focused on the wellbeing of the one, and the one is desiring the wellbeing of all. This way, the focus can sort of…coast, as needed, and the others have it in their minds and hearts that they may simply just not be suited to the current situation. Like, let's take one primary and three partners. Each of them has similar skills in cooking, so they all rotate meals. But it happens that they have different specializations, where they __**really**__ shine. One is best with pastas, another with meat dishes, and another with desserts. So when it comes to a specific dish, one will do the most of the cooking, with the others playing support. It's a balanced setup._

_That kind of balance is extremely difficult to find…but…if one could…then having a multi-way relationship is entirely possible. You just gotta find Trust."_

Seth and his mates however, had found that balance. While Lynn was his wife, it was Elle that was his strongest supporter. She could get into his head deeper than any of the others, mostly thanks to her power over Time. It took a while, but Lynn eventually came to accept that there were just some things she would never be able to grasp about him. Things that were slightly crucial. But Elle could. So when those events happened, Lynn deferred to Elle's judgment.

But when it came to the more sensual side of things, Lynn held the expertise. Elle was willing to do strange, new things, due to her powers and ability to see what would work and how. But Lynn was the one who came up with them. And Revan was their support. The way Seth described them, Revan was the body, holding them all together. Lynn was the mind, processing information and finding logical pathways. And Elle was the soul, reaching through the Immaterial to plot the path they wished to take.

It took time, especially due to Lynn's mistakes prior to the Keyblade appearing, but eventually they all were able to work together. And, as Seth had stated, it helped immensely that they had one shared focus: the wellbeing of Seth.

Yawning, Miri concluded her thoughts. Seth needed a _network_. Like before. No one person, male or female, would be enough to handle him, no matter how well-versed in the immaterial. Even Miri herself had a difficult time monitoring _everything_. Which is why those three had been perfect for him. They worked together.

Miri wondered though…what it would be like to be _touched_ by Seth, the way Aerith wished, the way Lynn and Elle once were. After all, you can only imbue yourself with the lustful emotions and thoughts of another being for so long without wanting to experience it yourself. But she knew in her current state he would never do it. Child in mind she may not be, but child in body she was, and that was an issue.

She would need an older…more mature looking form, before she could approach him with the idea…ahh well. Was something for later consideration, she mused. She was in no rush. She would not die until he did. She had all the time she needed…

* * *

**A/N:** Ok...took longer to finalize this than i wanted to, but it works. Sorry for no real intense Hades battle, you fight him in any of the KH games and you've pretty much seen all he can do, especially since, like Seth said, Combat isnt his forte. We finally get a glimpse at the thoughts and wills of one of the three women Seth traveled with back before he woke from Xemnas. and see what the conditions for his power boosting ritual were.

Some might say Aerith is OOC. no fucking shit she is. I'm merging many canon stories as best i can. i'm sure we all know who the "one guy" she was talking about is. I imagine Aerith as the "cool big sis" slash "team mom" type. But she's still a woman with hormones and desires and needs. they ARE getting played up because of Seth, for a specific reason, which will be understood at a later time, though Aerith is already speculating about it. she's observant like that.

Plus, she spent however long on their planet merged with the Lifestream. Meaning she felt **emotion**. of all sorts. while she's been separated from memories that arent hers, the emotional resonance is still with her. so while she's still the calm, soft-spoken one, she's just been sitting on all the _other_ feelings all this time. She wont fall in love with Seth, not in the slightest. he's a means to an end, and in her eyes, a decent person to trust with herself. if you understand where she's coming from, then good. if not, dont worry about it, it's probably beyond you. it's something you have to experience yourself, before you can really get the depths of it.

Next chapter will feature Nu, heavily. Also focus much on her _real_ interactions with Seth. Aqua gets a present, and someone gets an upgrade...while someone _else_ gets a downgrade.

**Skeleus**: as well you should be. while Seth cant do _half_ of the crap he described in this chapter, in terms of killing a God, he _knows_ of it, and can instruct someone else how. that's almost as dangerous.


	14. Black Heart

"Huh…that's strange. Where's your other half, Sora?"

A few days had passed since the unexpected and sudden date between Seth and Aerith. Ever since then, the Restoration Committee kept noticing strange…quirks…that the brunette girl would suddenly partake in. For example, when speaking with Seth or Yuffie, Aerith's sentences were layered with double entendre's left and right. She seemed…snarkier, more sarcastic, for some reason, although it was always spoken with a rather…shit-eating grin on her face. As if she knew something other people didn't. But she also seemed to carry herself…looser. As if a great weight were suddenly lifted from her shoulders.

It was strange enough that the very next day from their date, she and Seth were found to be in the middle of a sparring match. It took everyone, even Yuffie, by surprise to see her attacking him so…_aggressively_. They'd never seen her be so _fluid_ with her staff before. Normally she stayed behind and cast magic, using the staff as more of a disinclination tool, to deter foes from getting close. Now though, she was twirling it with reckless abandon, swinging away and keeping Seth on his toes.

A pulse of will had blown her back, causing her to give an uncharacteristic growl, before she suddenly yanked her pink dress over her head and tossed it aside. Underneath, she had apparently been wearing a red sports bra, seeming to have come prepared for such an eventuality. As well, a pair of black knee-length yoga pants. She forewent shoes of any nature. The next thing they knew, she was flinging multiple elemental blasts at Seth, who was parrying them all with flares of his gravitational field.

They heard her chewing him out, but it wasn't until they all got closer that they could grasp what was being said.

"_Look, I understand where you're coming from. I do. So I won't push the issue. Know this though, when you're ready, __**nothing**__ is going to stop me from getting what I want from you. You're the only guy around here worth my time. Cid's not my type, Tifa's practically two steps from just grabbing Clouds head and shoving it in her tits so he's out, and Leon…I'm starting to wonder if Leon is even interested in women."_

Of course, the older members of the Committee were gobsmacked that _Aerith_ of all people would say something like that.

"_But Seth, honey, if you're going to get a girl worked up like that you'd better finish…"_

A blast of lightning, slamming into and splitting away from a bubble of will.

"_The."_

Spears of ice ripped from her finger tips. Shattered by a wall of pressure.

"_God."_

She flung her hand across, sending a wave of fire that was blown away once it got too close.

"_**Damn**__."_

She leapt up, twirling her staff overhead, bringing it down upon Seth who had crossed his arms above his head, throwing out a pressurized wall of will to meet her downward momentum.

"_**JOB!"**_

There was a loud **THOOM** and a wave of dust and air that ripped from the impact zone. As it all cleared, they could see Aerith, suspended in the air, her staff, her _body_ vibrating. They could _also_ see the near-tangible wall of pressure that just barely stopped her from smashing his head open. After a few moments of an intense staredown between the two, Aerith dropped, landing deftly on her feet.

"_Understand, sweetie?"_ She wasn't even winded, but Seth was panting. All of them, Aerith included, thought it was because she was pushing him to his limits.

They were wrong.

He was exhausted for a different reason.

He was fighting the urge to _kill_ her.

While it was a simple sparring match, she'd attacked ferociously, knowing he could easily deal with whatever she threw at him. But due to the jumble of emotions unlocked the night prior, which were still being sorted, such an attack triggered his survival instinct. Which normally lead to things dying.

Messily.

She slipped past his guard and pecked him on the cheek.

"_Good."_

He just stared at her.

"_I'm off to shower. Care to join?"_

They watched him just blink, deadpan.

"_Yeah yeah…I know. Still, a girl's gotta offer, right?"_

Still, after that event, the Committee had _no_ idea how to handle this…new Aerith. She was much freer, much more open and flirty and…well, unlike herself. She was always the calm, reserved but approachable one. The quiet, peacemaking confidence of the group. Now it was like she took an injection of the old Yuffie and mixed it with something else! She was far more bubbly, much…happier seeming. Not that she seemed _un_happy before, but now it was plainly obvious.

What were once quiet, serene smiles were now wide, playful, mischievous grins. It threw all of them for a loop! What the hell happened on that date?!

Of course, she wasn't telling.

"_The fact that you're all pinning it on something __**he**__ must have done goes and proves you haven't earned the right to know. It's not entirely my tale to tell, so unless he says so, I'm not saying anything. You're all free to imagine whatever you want…not like I can stop you y'know."_

"Roxas? He's over there."

Tifa blinked. And then giggled as she realized her mistake. "I meant _Kairi_."

"Oh. She's probably unconscious by now."

That statement, delivered so matter-of-factly, as well as how casually and dismissing he spoke it, silenced the Hall.

"…Wait…_unconscious?!_" Naminé blurted out.

Sora blinked and tilted his head, finger on his chin. "Weeeellll…I don't really know how else to put it. She's not in control, I guess would be better."

"Sora…what's going on with Kairi?" Riku pushed, now very uncertain and worried.

"Nothing really. It's not Kairi anyway."

"Dude, you're making no sense." Roxas spoke. "Where's Kairi?" Sora rolled his eyes. Jeez why was everyone so _dumb_ all of a sudden?

"Wherever she goes when Nu takes over."

Confused silence.

"…Nu…as in…her Anti-Form?! Why would her Anti-

"Cause Nu was gonna take Seth out on a date today." Ahh, that explained it. They didn't know.

"**WHAT?!"** Came all but one.

"**HA!"** Came the last. Everyone turned to Aerith who was giving a triumphant grin. "I _KNEW_ she was jealous! Uhh…They…I think."

"Geez…" Ino muttered. "Why didn't we think of that…?"

Alicia shook her head and sighed. "Because we both know that simply commanding him to go out with us just leads to problems…Nu probably has some sort of backdoor she's going to use."

"We're going to have to come up with _something_ soon…" Ino mumbled.

Alicia nodded slowly. "True…"

* * *

Seth, walking along one of the many side-streets, turned a corner, and ran straight into-

"Red?"

"Ah! Uhh…Ahh…h-hi…Seth." Kairi replied, nervously.

Seth quirked an eyebrow upwards. "Choo doin around here?"

"Umm…looking…for you?"

He blinked. "…ok…what for?"

"Umm…a-are you…doing anything…important today?"

"…Kairi, why are you nervous?"

"N-nervous?! I-I'm not nervous at all!"

He stared at her, deadpan. "Kairi. We're linked. You can't hide that from me. You're nervous right now. _Really_ nervous. Why?"

She just balled her fists, squeezing her eyes shut while shaking her head. "Just…just answer me…please?"

Seth looked at her, confused as to why she was giving off such chaotic emotions. Apprehension, nervousness, confusion…desire? _The hell?_ Intrigue. And…a spark of lust…?

"Nothing. Was gonna just go for a walk…maybe hunt some emblems…why?"

"Ahh…good…good…umm…"

The nervousness skyrocketed. But then was tempered by determination.

"Seth…would you…would you kiss me…? Please?"

"…what the hell are you-

"Please…Seth."

He looked at her. Locked eyes. Twin brown locking into red and blue. He couldn't get a read. The focus of determination was drowning out everything else. Deciding that there was no real harm in humoring her, he sighed and nodded. She nodded back, raising her arms and placing her hands on his shoulders. He was mildly surprised, but placed his hands on her hips.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on, after?"

"You'll understand…And before you ask…I've already cleared it with Sora. He knows what's happening."

"that makes one of us…" Seth muttered. He sighed again, as Kairi pulled herself closer to him. Slowly, she tilted her head back slightly, and their lips met. He felt her tense, fingers seeming to grip his shoulders, almost as if she was in pain. He resolved to pull away, but then she suddenly relaxed, and to his surprise her tongue pushed its way into his mouth. Not seconds later, she gave a soft moan, and a flare of light emerged from her waist.

The tips of his thumbs brushed against the cool metal of her Driver, which flared to life, rays of _black_ ripping from its core, at the same moment her tongue began attacking his. At that time, he felt something get _pulled_ from him, as a pulse of **power** ripped through the air.

_**ANTI-FORM**_

The waves of existence washed over him, and as they receded back into Kairi, she pulled away from their embrace, clutching his lower lip gently between her teeth. A sudden exhaustion washed over him for a brief moment, as her eyes opened, revealing twin, glowing red orbs, three comma shaped markings spinning lazily until they stopped.

"Good morning…**Master**."

"Nu…what…the hell is going on here…?" _Now_ it made sense why Kairi wanted him to kiss her. She couldn't access Anti-Form without Seth doing so.

She smiled, a soft, teasing smile.

"Today is _our_ day, Master. You and me. And of course Miri as well, I wouldn't dream of excluding her."

Deciding now was the time to appear, Miri faded in from Seth's shadow, staring at the black haired, nude teen in confusion.

"What-

"We're going out, Master. I know it's sudden, but I won this from my lighter half. I promise you, you _will_ have a good time."

**Kingdom Hearts Re: Order**

**Chapter XIII: **_**Black Heart**_

"How're you holding up kit?"

The blonde teen didn't turn around. Small crown on her head, dressed in a white tee-shirt with jean overalls and a pair of sandals, Queen Alice merely sighed, slumping her shoulders, leaning more into the windowsill she was propped against.

"I keep thinking about it. I know…what you told me. But it doesn't change how I feel inside. And it's bloody friggin annoying. But it won't go away."

She tensed slightly as a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her backwards, away from the windowsill. She sighed again, only this one was a sigh of contentment, as she leaned back into the embrace of the one man she found herself trusting with her personal issues. Fred didn't count, he was a Waddle-dee. A waddle-dee that used to be human, apparently, but a waddle-dee nonetheless.

"Barely known you for two days. Why the hell do I feel so safe like this, Seth?" It was true. They'd met briefly when he was with Sora, but it wasn't until the second Attack did she get to know him. Thus, technically only knowing him for two days.

Seth gave a huff, a combined noise of both amusement and ignorance. But to her surprise, it was the strange, darker presence near him that answered, prompting Alice to turn her head slightly, even though she entwined her fingers with his.

"That's one of Master's skills. A passive Aura that grants peace and tranquility to those who seek his guidance. Strength and focus to those who fight beside him. Pain and anguish to those who betray him. And fear, to those who dare block his path. As long as you place even an iota of trust within Master, Master will take care of you, in any way he can. You have confided in Master, trusted him with your fears and pain. He takes that from you, and gives you strength and peace."

The teenage Queen blinked at the black haired girl.

"Y'know you look a lot like Sora's girl, Kairi."

The black haired girl simply gave a half-smile, bowing her head slightly. "I am Nu. I am a part of Kairi that has been suppressed, and cultivated within Master's heart. I am her Shadow, all that she denies about herself, given form."

Alice blinked, confused, and then tilted her head up, gazing into Seth's eyes.

"Ain't Kairi a Princess o' Heart like me? Thought the others told me that meant we held no Darkness."

"Aye. It's true. Your hearts purge themselves regularly of intense negative emotion. That darkness goes somewhere…I ever get around to telling you what happened with me and Red?"

Alice shook her head. Nu was merely amused that the blonde girl refused to move from her position. Nu couldn't blame her. When Seth _held_ you, with the intent to draw out and purge your pain, you never wanted him to let go.

"Well, long story short, me and Red have a heart-to-heart link. The one she has with Sora only just recently got on a level close to what she and I share, and no, ours wasn't by intentional choice. Basically, Nu here was all of her dark thoughts and feelings, shunted to my heart, where they got peeled away from my emotions and compartmentalized. But because they kept gathering, they all gained sentience, tempered by my personality and became the girl we see here."

"Alright…lets say I understood _half_ of that shite. Shouldn't she like, be disintegrating or something?"

Seth chuckled, the vibrations echoing through Alice's body and making the girl blush unconsciously. Seriously, you try spending six years straight with only a bunch of furry walking marshmallow puffballs as company, on top of the already impossibly insane denizens of Wonderland. You'd be hard up for human companionship too dammit.

"Under normal circumstances…probably? Remember that belt I have?"

Alice nodded.

"She's got one too. And a few weeks ago we discovered that one of its functions ended up being to allow her inner Shadow, to take over for a while, safely."

Alice frowned. "…is that gonna happen to me? To the rest of us?"

"No idea. Kairi's a special case, honestly. But to be frank, as long as you _accept_ who you are, and what you feel, no matter what it is, you'll probably avoid such an issue. Nu's a special case anyway. Under most circumstances a Shadow of the Self like her, would be fighting to take control. Kairi lucked out that it was _my _personality that Nu was tempered by, rather than just building and forming on her own. I strive for comprehension and equality, especially when it comes to the self. So Nu isn't trying to take over…much. Just trying to make them become one person again."

"…sounds like something I could use…"

"Still having problems?" He asked gently.

"Kinda…like I said, I keep thinking about it. I know what you told me, and to be honest I feel…better about it. But…"

"You still took the life of a living, sentient being. With thoughts and will of its own. You feel like shit for it. That's normal, kit. And it probably won't ever fully go away. But it'll fade in time. give it a while. It's only been a few weeks since you remembered. You're probably feeling extra guilt because you technically forgot. And that's a seriously _damning_ thing to do to someone. But he earned it with his own stupidity. If it wasn't you, he'd have pissed someone else off. Or just ended up tripping and breaking his face open."

She gave a huff that resembled a snort of humor. "All the King's horses, eh?"

"Damn straight. He just got his shit scrambled earlier than he would have otherwise is all. And he's still being a cuntbag by making his death cause a cute little thing like you feel pointless guilt over it."

_Now_ she had a much more justified reason to blush. "Oi, you flirtin' with me? Cause I'll fuggin flirt back dammit."

He loosed a bark of a laugh. And Nu twitched. But not in irritation. She felt something around him…crack. As if a barrier that was once pristine now held a small weakness within it.

"Sorry kit. You're cute but a bit young for me."

"Bullshit." Nu said. And Seth flinched.

"She has the mind of one who is past her numerical age. The exact quality your _Apprentice_, whom I might add you spent _many_ nights with, held. Please don't mislead the poor girl, Master."

Ooop…crack's fixed. Kinda.

"…point…"

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Alice piped up. "So you tryin' to get in my pants or what?"

Seth just blinked rapidly. And Nu started laughing.

"…the hell is up with these _women_ I keep running into…?"

* * *

"So where are you taking me, Aerith?"

The brunette woman simply bobbed her head to an unheard beat. She and her companion, who happened to be Aqua, were just entering the hidden laboratory that was once used by Xehanort and his followers. Seeming to stop at an ordinary wall, Aerith ran her fingers along the center, loosing a small noise of triumph when she found an indentation. Pressing it, a section of the wall opened up, revealing a small panel with multiple strange symbols.

"A couple days ago, Tron left a message stating he'd found references to someone of your name. A hidden room inside the lab, that Xemnas was recorded as entering and exiting sometimes. It wasn't known what he did inside that room, and Leon was prepared to dismiss it as coincidence, but I told him not to. Nobody around here knew your name until you showed up with Sora and the Princess, so I knew it had to mean something special."

"Ok…that's kinda weird. But I still don't see what this has to do with me yet."

"That's the interesting part…" She pressed a few of the buttons, giving a cute growl when nothing happened. "Gah I had this before- oh. Wait. These are…ok…and then this…"

***DING***

"Ha! Got it! Ok." A larger section of the wall opened up, revealing a staircase downward, deep into the bowels of the castle lab.

"Through here." Aerith spoke, beginning her descent. "It's hard not to be cryptic, but honestly, you'll understand once we get down there. Believe me when I say it'll all make sense once you see it yourself."

"Hmm…Xemnas was Xehanort's Nobody, right?"

"That's correct."

"And Nobodies have the memories of their originals?"

"For the most part. According to Sora; Roxas and Naminé didn't have memories. Roxas' memories of Sora came after Xion gave herself up, and those only came because Naminé was re-linking them all. Naminé's story doesn't have an explanation, but going from Seth's theory, Roxas' makes sense."

"But most Nobodies _do_ keep their memories, right?"

"Yes. We're not exactly sure why or how. Then again, we still barely know much about the Heartless or even the Keyblade other than what we've learned from Seth, Sora and King Mickey."

"So…Xemnas…knew my name…"

"From what I understand…" Aerith began, a speculative tone in her voice. "…Xehanort had amnesia when Ansem found him. But there was always a man…Braig…who seemed to know more than he let on."

"Braig…" Aqua growled.

"I take it you know him."

"Unfortunately."

Aerith stopped, finding another keypad and pressing buttons. She stepped aside, as the plain, white wall before the two slid upwards, revealing a small chamber.

"After you."

Raising an eyebrow at the brunette, Aqua stepped through, and then froze.

"…wh-what…?"

Before her, in pieces, but suspended in places where they would go on a human body…was blue armor. Aqua stared in shock, slowly stepping forward, hand reaching out on its own.

"M-my…"

She reached out, touching the helmet. The moment her fingers made contact with the cool metal, every single piece of armor began to glow with an unearthly blue aura. So entranced by the discovery, Aqua didn't register the light as it grew blinding – why would she? It was coming off of her as well. – before it pulsed outward, causing Aerith to shield her eyes, as a wall of gentle, cool energy washed over her.

* * *

"So why're you here anyway?" The three: Alice, Seth and Nu were walking along the courtyard garden outside Alice's castle.

"Master and I are on our date. He wished to check up on you, since he had to leave so suddenly." Nu informed the teen Queen.

Alice tilted her head. "Can't say I've got much dating experience, but last I checked y'don't take yer date to see another girl."

Seth rolled his eyes. "Nu's definition of 'date' is to spend the day with me, doing whatever. Besides, she sprung this on me out of nowhere."

"Fair enough I guess. But wait, aint Kairi with Sora? That's not a real good combination there."

"Apparently," Seth responded "Sora is quite well aware of the situation, and even endorses it fully."

"…well he always did seem a little out there." Alice admit. "Still, date or no, I guess I'm glad you came by. Rememberin's been…well it aint been fun."

"I know. It never is."

"Now here's what I wanna know. How the hell am I gonna get in contact with you if something comes up?"

Seth stopped and blinked. "Hmm…valid question…I really gotta see if some inter-world communication device could be made…I guess for now you could maybe call for Miri? I mean Yuffie can do it apparently…"

"Miri?" Alice questioned.

And as if to answer her, Seth's shadow seemed to flicker, before the little white haired girl stepped out from behind him.

"Oh, the little one. Never did get how she could do that…"

"Oh yeah I never told you. Well, it's a long story. The short of it is that Miri was once a Shadow that ate the heart of that giant spider thing, and then evolved into the form of a little girl. She's still pretty much a Heartless…just…human, I guess."

Miri nodded.

"Arright. So I just call her name?"

"Intent." The child spoke. Alice quirked her head.

"She means that you have to intend to summon her." Nu explained. "Calling her name alone would be troublesome, one must hold the intent to call _her_, not just speak of her existence or being. You must _will_ her to stand before you."

"Makes sense. Arright, that works."

"Miri can use Dark Corridors to get from place to place. But I'm still not sure on travel time. So don't be surprised if it takes a minute or so before she appears. And she probably _won't_ show up at all if something's wrong with me, or I'm in a fight."

"Guardian…not Messenger." The girl said.

"Yeah…I don't know how or why, but Miri's taken it upon herself to keep me…well…existing. She doesn't mind sending messages or making contact with people that I'm too far to, but ultimately she prefers to stay by my side."

"Arright, so only in emergencies or whatever…I'll tell Fred about it. Thanks Seth. That's three times over I owe you."

"Bah, take the second one out. That doesn't count, it's what I do anyway."

She grinned. "Now, you _sure_ you weren't flirt'n with me before?"

"Sweet _Tia_ not **that** shit again…"

Miri gave a soft smile while Nu just started laughing.

* * *

"Sora, are you sure you're ok with all this?"

The three boys, Sora, Riku and Roxas, were taking a walk. Having spent so little time just having a Guy's Day, as well as Roxas _never_ having spent real time in the flesh hanging out with his not-brother; they decided now, while everyone was busy doing other things, would be a good time to just go do things teenage boys usually do. Considering that all three of them couldn't be considered 'normal' by any stretch of the word…

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"I dunno bro, I can't say much either way, but I'm pretty sure having your girlfriend go off on a date with another guy isn't normal." Roxas interjected.

"True…but…since when has _anything_ in our lives been 'normal'?" Sora countered.

Roxas just shrugged. "Welp, that kills my arguments."

"Kairi's not exactly herself right now, Sora. You can't-

"Kairi is perfectly fine. And going from what Nu has been saying, Kairi hasn't been _herself_ since she found out she was a Princess of Heart. Listen, Riku, I'm glad you're worried, but really, everything is alright."

"What happens if ultimately…Nu…takes over? And Kairi vanishes?"

"That won't happen. Sure, she'll be a little different, but Nu is Kairi too. Just a…just everything Kairi fights off."

Riku shook his head. "You actually _believe_ that?"

"Why shouldn't I? We've dealt with stranger things. And to be honest, what do _any_ of us know about the mind? We barely know much about the _heart_ as it is."

"I actually got a legit question." Roxas cut in again. "Why do you trust Seth so easily, Sora? I mean, I got nothing against the dude…he's taking care of Xi-Ino, and anyone who cares about her is alright in my book. But I don't get it. I mean, I don't get why you're so laid back about the whole Kairi/Nu thing but that's you, bro, you've always been weird like that. But this guy…I mean, he's alright I guess but…"

"To be honest? It's because Kairi does. You weren't around to see it but she _decked_ Riku because he was being kind of a dick. And then threatened to kill him to _stop_ him from becoming the same type of traitor that Seth would gladly eviscerate. Kairi trusts Seth for her own reasons, and I trust Kairi. Plus, Seth…he's strange, he's weird, he's definitely not Light in the slightest, but he's not _really_ trying to destroy everything or take over anywhere or anything."

Sora sat down on a bench, Roxas and Riku sitting next to him. He leaned forward, staring at a small bed of flowers a few feet away.

"Seth's got more than enough power to wipe out entire worlds, especially since he can control the Heartless, even if just the unmarked ones. But from the very beginning, all he's been trying to do is figure things out, set a few things right here, and just _live_. It's not so much that I trust _him_, it's that because Kairi and I have talked about it a lot, I understand his motivations, his desires. He's got his own morals, his own way of doing things. But ultimately he's a good person."

"So more you don't _distrust_ him." Riku said, slowly.

"I guess. It's really complicated, honestly. Hard to put into words, y'know? Just one of those gut feelings."

Riku sighed, while Roxas shrugged. "Ehh. Whatever. Like I said, he's taking care of Ino, so that puts him in my good book. Plus…even if I didn't care for him much, Ino's basically in love with him. I lost her once…don't want to lose her again."

"Am I seriously the only one with reservations about this guy…?" Riku asked blankly.

"You've got good points, but really, if he was as big a dick as you keep making him sound, wouldn't he have killed us all by now? Or at least you, because your bitching has _seriously_ got to be getting on his nerves."

Riku blinked, realizing the truth of that statement. "…but Kairi…"

Sora put his hand, a grim smile on his face, on Riku's shoulder. "Since when has what _Kairi_ wanted ever stopped him from doing what _he_ wanted? The only reason Minnie's still alive…Kairi too, is because **Nu** appealed to his sense of logic. What was it she said…? 'The scales are balanced, we'd rather you not imbalance them against yourself.'"

"Scales of _what_ though?" Riku pushed.

"Balance, duh." Roxas said. Both other boys turned to him. "Ok, Luxord tried teaching me a few things back in the Organization. Didn't really stick much but it has to do with Karma. He calls Karma the ultimate game of skill. Minnie, even though she didn't mean to, hurt Miri. In his haste to her side and to keep her safe, Seth blew Minnie away, painfully, into a wall. Seth, in Miri's name, hurt Minnie back, to roughly the same extent, thus balancing the scales. Minnie reaped what she sew. But Seth was going to _kill_ Minnie, for hurting Miri, rightfully so, since it seems like Miri's pretty much his kid. But Nu and Kairi stopped him, because Nu understood that if he killed Minnie, the scales of balance and Karma would be against him."

"That's…really twisted logic…hurt people who hurt the ones you care about?" Riku said.

"Twisted but it works. An eye for an eye. Pain for pain. It's not the kindest, or Lightest, or even the most reasonable thought process, but it works. As long as you limit it to _exact_ retribution, it works out. The problem is people go beyond the level required to balance the scales. Seth was about to, for legitimate reasons: Minnie, whom could easily hurt Miri with just a single touch, was a severe threat to Miri's wellbeing and continued existence. Killing Minnie would remove that threat, permanently. And Seth is the type of guy who will remove those kinds of threats, as soon as they appear, sometimes even _before_ they do." Roxas continued.

"It's the same with Lea." Sora said, starting to get it. "Lea used his one weakness, spiders, against him, as a prank. The retribution would have been…I guess moderately off scale, but at the same time, Lea had just proven himself untrustworthy, and a security risk."

"And because of Lea's close proximity to someone he'd been designed to protect and assist, he had to be removed, lest he put _her_ at risk." Riku continued, finally beginning to understand.

"Ino was hurt. He hurt her. But he hurt her because she hurt him. She said…it was a side effect of what she did. It wasn't entirely intentional, but it came around because of her actions. She appeared to choose Lea over him. Lea, whom she has no real tie to, because it was _Axel_ she was friends with. She seemingly betrayed Seth for Lea. But rather than completely destroy her, as he normally would, because he understood the nature of their once bond, he simply began _rejecting_ her. And it just so happened that if he _rejects_ you, his powers activate, causing you pain if you get near him." Roxas concluded.

"But none of that explains why he's on a date with Kairi right now." Riku complained.

"Because she's in love with him." Sora said, exasperated.

"_What?!_"

"Wait…I thought _Nu_ was in love with him." Roxas said.

"Yes. Which means _Kairi_ is. But Kairi's _fighting_ it. For whatever reason. And because of that, Nu is expressing it. And at the same time it's what is allowing Nu to exist."

"Kairi being in love with him?" Riku pushed.

"No, Kairi _fighting_ it. She's not in love with him the same way she is me. But it's close. And because of that, she's afraid. And because of _that_, she's fighting it. Which is what is allowing Nu to continue existing. I wouldn't be surprised if Nu is using this as an attempt to force Kairi to understand herself, and stop fighting it."

"…Sora…you're telling us your _girlfriend_ is in love with another guy. What…what the hell?!"

Sora shrugged. "Her life is her life, her choice her choice. If she chooses him over me…yeah it'll suck, but I'm alright with it. What matters most to me, is that she's _happy_. And until she comes to terms with her feelings, on _everything_, she won't **be** happy."

* * *

"Alright, so I've got a question about you, actually."

Walking beside him, underneath the night sky, Nu smiled.

"What would Master like to know?"

"Why in the seven hells of Saturn do you have the Sharingan?"

Nu bowed her head, an embarrassed smile on her face. "Well…to be fully candid…I don't. Not the true Sharingan…at least. It's mostly a cosmetic thing, something to throw off any of my opponents. If you notice, when Kairi is in control, the left eye is merely red, no tomoe."

He nodded, taking that into account.

"Admittedly I could possibly pull some form of low-grade hypnosis with it…maybe a bastardized Tsukuyomi…but I can't do the Amaterasu…and technically Susano'o would merely be a manifestation of Darkness I created anyway…"

"And the other abilities?"

"Well…I don't have any better vision than normal, honestly. My senses for other things come from…well…within, and not through any visual perception skill. And I have no capability for photographic memory…ultimately, in the end, it's just the way my eyes are…though, I can sort of pull a Kamui…but then again that's a skill I got from _you_ Master."

He tilted his head.

"Kairi has a weaker version of your gravity well, right now. I can access a slightly stronger version of that. Through that, if I focus hard enough on a point, I can create a distortion."

"One that rends space in a localized area, consuming and removing anything in that AoE. I see. So it's not so much the Kamui as it is a mimicry of it using a form of power similar to my own."

Nu nodded excitedly. "Yes Master. That's what I forced through Kairi when you'd opened the floodgates but lost cognitive control. Forcing my power through her like that is what turned her eye red, signifying my claim over the body we share."

"Was wondering why that was…so should the two of you successfully merge, would she retain that?"

"To be honest I don't know. The physical differences between she and I are mostly cosmetic, like my skin tone, hair and eye color. I can't truly say what would happen if we merge together. There are a multitude of possible outcomes, but all I know definitely is she won't be the same as she was before she met you, not that such a change is bad."

"Fair enough."

"Was there anything else you wished to ask of me Master?"

"Ehh…not that I can think of."

"Good. Because we're here."

He blinked at her, before looking behind him. 'Here' was in front of a massive stadium. Hundreds of people were gathered, chatting and mumbling along as they strolled in. Some were more excited than others, and some even looked fearful and worried. But there was one thing he noted of them all. All of their clothing had at least some form of glowing light involved.

"…wait…where are we?" Admittedly he wasn't paying much attention as they walked through the Dark Corridor that Nu had created. Something Nu took notice of and was pleased to see. It meant he trusted her to guide him safely to their destination. That level of faith, for a being not supposed to exist…it was no wonder Ino was so taken with him.

"The Grid, Master. And we have a special event to take part in."

"Uhh…?"

"Light Cycles, Master. We're joining a race."

"We are?" She smiled brightly as his eyes lit up.

"Yes Master. So come along quickly. We must get ready." She reached out and grasped his hand, pulling him gently as she began to trot off towards a side door made for casual competitors. Unlike the Light Cycle Battle, where mostly defunct or unclassified programs got sentenced to a challenge of survival, the races were voluntary, though no less dangerous. The danger here, however, came from the tracks. For a human, or 'user' as they were classified in this world, a few broken limbs were the likely outcome. Though for the natural beings living in this world, they'd probably shatter.

Still, the races were both entertaining as well as fun to participate in, since survival was more of a side focus. Speed and reactions were the primary requirements in this, as well as ability to navigate perilous terrain.

"Uhh…wait…Nu? I…don't exactly know how to ride one of those!" She looked back at him, and smiled.

"Don't worry. _I _do."

* * *

A soft breeze blew her hair in her eyes. She ignored it, sitting, cross-legged, at the edge of a cliff. Were four people to be with her, the cliff would be mildly familiar, for it overlooked the area that became 'Hollow Bastion Castle' as well as the massive crater beneath it. To this day, nobody knew what formed the crater, only that it was once filled with flowing water, rising upwards as if in a reverse waterfall. A surprising level of beauty, for a twisted palace changed by Maleficent's dark magics.

With the worlds closed to one another, for a time, the waters faded, almost as if they were part of the reaction of the planetary borders being destroyed. It was at this point, she waited.

Her wait was over.

A single black feather passed by her face. She gave a soft smile.

"I was wondering when you would show up."

Behind her stood a man. Long flowing white hair, nearly reaching the ground beneath him. A long, black coat with reflective silver pauldrons on the shoulders. An impossibly long katana strapped to his right waist, no sheath, just dangling freely.

This man was considered the most dangerous man upon the world. A wanderer of his own right, a man seemingly without equal.

She wondered how he would fare against Seth.

"So, how've you been, Sephiroth?"

"Why have you called me here…Aerith?"

The woman sighed. "Business as usual with you, eh, brother?"

The man rolled his eyes. Despite others belief, while he was quite determined to best Cloud…or rather, force Cloud to except their unfortunate Life Link with one another, he was a surprisingly sociable man…most of the time. Perhaps it was _her_ doing, the woman who sat in front of him. Yes, there was a time where they were forced to share a conceptual space. He wishing to pervert the Lifestream with Jenova's essence, for whatever his reasoning was. She who wished to purify it.

He who sought destruction, and she, who sought creation. Unknown to the beings inhabiting their world, unknown even to her _friends_, they had clashed, many times. Her once protector, her once love, had assisted her in their 'battles'. But then their world was torn asunder. When the Heartless came, they, once enemies, found themselves allies against the greater threat. Together they weaved storms of power and will against the invading shadows…

But in the end, not even their combined might was enough. Though she had begun healing it, due to his constant interference, his constant attacks, the planet was left weakened still, from events prior. In the end, even together, even with their closeness to the Heart of their planet – he born from a stellar invader, burrowed deep into the world, connecting with the core only to attempt to pervert it, and she, born from the world's caretakers, the last of her kind – they were defeated. She expended much of her power securing the lives of as many of her once-friends as she could, while he merely gathered all of it in his…and _her_ protection.

Unknown to any but Aerith and her once-love, becoming one with the Lifestream forced his mind to _open_. No longer was he consumed by the thoughts that led to madness, his personality returning closer to that of what it once was, before he found the truth of his existence. At the time, he mused that everyone lauded his strength and fortitude, but were they to find out what caused his descent into madness; the simple revelation that he was not born as most were, and was in fact, the progeny of an invading creature of destruction and chaos…

Would he still be respected? Or would he be forgotten, as a failure?

It was this notion that continued his existence. Driven to _not_ be forgotten, to not simply become someone's _memory_. He would never know how similar his thoughts were, to those that once passed through the mind of Leon.

'I will not be spoken of in the past tense' indeed.

But with all that, he came to respect the will and focus of the one he once murdered. A weak, worthless woman he saw her as, not really caring that she was supposedly the last of their planet's chosen protectors. But she surprised him, time and time again. And from their clashes, he came to respect her. Eventually, he only came to clash with her to test her, to make sure she was still keeping her skills sharp. And soon, she came to somewhat welcome the clashes in return. During their clashes she too came to understand _him_.

Oh she still was pissed with him, even after all this time. Hey, he was the one to shove a massive sword through her damn spine, she had every right to still be pissed. And he damn near manipulated Cloud to chop her head off! Even _she_ knew what kind of damage that would do to his head. Still, one had to come to respect the will of a man who _refused_ to be consumed by the very power he wielded, even if it was a darker, corrupted version of a natural force.

Eventually, through clashes and occasional conversations during said clashes, she came to view him as an 'aloof big brother'. But despite her respect for, and view of him, she had her priorities: the safety of her beloved friends.

Thus, when the planet was to be erased, she grasped their essences as best she could, and flung them through conceptual space, sending them to the closest inhabitable location where they would be able to live. And then the same thing happened to _her._

She hadn't intended to save herself. She didn't think it possible. Oh she believed that with proper preparation, if she hadn't expended so much power against the invading Heartless, she could _probably_ have tried to at least anchor her spirit to someone. Maybe Cloud or something, Marlene at the least. But as it was, she didn't think she held enough in her to do it. And the next thing she knows, a familiar _perverse_ presence engulfed her senses.

And then she woke, in time to see the back of a white haired man, in a black long-coat…taking to the skies on a single black wing.

"I highly doubt you called me here just to play 'catch-up'."

She sighed, grinning. "Fair enough. I wanted to ask you something. It's moderately important."

"I figured as much, or you wouldn't have given me such a headache."

"Right. Well. I wanted to ask you about Genesis' sword."

She sensed, more than saw, Sephiroth stiffen for a moment.

"And why would you want to ask about that?"

"I know someone…who needs a sword capable of channeling immense power. In this case, spiritual energy. I've been requested by…an acquaintance…to see if I can help find something like that. I would have directed them to just about anywhere, but he stated it had to have certain specifications. Preferably it had to be light, easy to wield, and with a double edge. It couldn't be horribly long, but it couldn't be tanto or dagger sized either. I thought about it for a while, even cast through my knowledge of weaponry…and the only thing I could think of that I could _possibly_ get to them in a short time…was that sword."

Sephiroth was silent.

"I know that sword means a lot to you. And I promise it will be in good hands."

"…tell me of this person who requires a sword. Why can they not simply have one forged for themselves?"

"Because they need a blade _immediately_. You see, _her_ sword that she was using, wasn't strong enough to sustain her spiritual power. It broke in battle against Hades."

Sephiroth rose his eyebrows, a sign of mild interest. "Hades you say."

"Well…a copy, but a one-to-one scale copy. Anyway, she needs it right away because she frequently fights against beings that can stand up to serious punishment. And they can attack anywhere, at any time, it seems."

He was silent. The sword…was all that was left of his once best friend. Before the planet was erased, he _thought_ he sensed an energy signature very similar to that of Genesis, but despite his closeness to the Lifestream, it was the woman before him that had the better sensory output. The sword was hidden, in a place only he knew of…but could he part with it? Cloud still held Angeal's Buster Sword, though he didn't use it often, seeing it as Zack's. Sephiroth's sword was special, being formed of his Spirit and Will. Genesis' Rapier…was all that remained of him…just as the Buster Sword was all that remained of Angeal.

Could this Girl really be worthy of such a magnificent blade? Well…there was only one way to find out.

"Tell this girl…to be in a civilian free location in two hours. I will decide there…if I will give it to her."

Aerith knew what that meant. She smiled.

"Thanks. I'll head back right away."

She stood up, grinned at him while nodding. She had just gotten to the narrow pathway that led back to town when he spoke again.

"And Aerith…"

She stopped.

"…it is good to see you well…Sister."

* * *

"Ok, why are we here?"

After the races, which they ended up tying for first place (Nu was a surprisingly skilled Cyclist, and Seth was a twitchy bastard when it came to dodging stuff flying at him) Nu had tugged his arm and pulled him through yet another dark corridor. This one, leading them to the top of a high-rise at the World that Never Was.

Nu answered him simply by smiling, and stretching, pivoting her hips and raising her arms above her head. Her clothing seemed to ripple and shudder, before it appeared to segment vertically. A moment later, and from the bottom up, her short dress, stockings and boots seemed to disintegrate, her hair becoming longer as it did, before rising up in a spiral, and slamming into the ground as a series of runes even he didn't understand, appeared in a ring around her feet.

He stepped back as the runic circle grew, a second one appearing in the sky, the torrent of hair taking form as a _gigantic_ bird with six eyes – three on each side of its head – that landed behind her.

Recognizing the bird, the stance, the whole ordeal as a once finishing-move, Seth grew tense, before Nu's casual smile started to relax him.

"I know it's not a _dragon_, Master. Honestly I don't know where I'd have found one on such short notice…so he'll have to do as a replacement."

"Nu…what's-

"Your dream of **flight**. I know you've attained it for yourself, through your Driver. But…I would like the chance to share the sky with you, Master. To see the world as you see it from above. I cannot fly under my own will, even with the power We have drawn from you…but through _his_ wings…I can touch the sky. So…if you would be so kind, Master…as to indulge me in my selfish desire…"

He blinked, surprised, confused, and…what was that strange feeling in his chest? It was some cross between…humbled, honored and…happy…?

"…Heh…alright…I can't deny you that. Wouldn't even try."

The bird seemed to crouch, as if allowing them access to its back. Nu made a casual hop backwards, landing on it, before kneeling and extending her hand.

A grin on his face, Seth stepped up to her, and grasped it.

* * *

Was this it? Was this where she would perish, once again? Is this where she was to fall into Death's Embrace? With Seth in an unknown location, there was no certainty of her return. Even though she suspected she held what was called in this world a 'Life Link' with him, she didn't know…but could she truly allow herself to rely on such an uncertain concept? Could she let herself _die_, even though she suspected a possible return? Would she _really_ let herself be _defeated_ by this…_demon_?

_No…_

Her body was in pain. The cuts were not deep, but they were many. He was fast. _Too_ fast. She should have been dead many times over. Even with this sword…though why did he just _drop_ it like that? Why let her use it against him, not even _attempting_ to reclaim it?

He had attacked out of nowhere. Just dropping from the sky, not speaking a word, and lunging at her with the sword she now gripped as if her life depended on it. She was vulnerable, open, but still, she evaded his opening strikes. Almost as if impressed by her escape, after repelling Ino's attempt at defending her, he introduced himself as 'Sephiroth'. After that, however, he spoke no more, instead racing at her again.

The one named Cloud, made to intercept the suddenly attacking white-haired man, but was halted by Aerith. In a surprising display, Aerith withdrew a long cylindrical object from somewhere behind her, flicking it where it extended outward into a long shaft, with two tri-tipped icicles manifesting at the ends. She refused to allow Cloud to interfere, and her stance suggested she would lash out at anyone _else_ who did the same.

Cloud, not willing to let that stand, drew his blade.

"I'm serious, Aerith. Get out of my way. Please."

"I am as well. I can't let you interfere, Cloud."

His attacks were meant to subdue. To knock her aside so he could get at Sephiroth. But she displayed the same level of dexterity and skill that she did against Seth. The same level of ferocity she faced the wandering Keybearer with, she used against her once crush. There was no _malice_ in either of their attacks, but the clash between them was still greatly unexpected.

Still, even with that going on, Alicia managed to stay focused. She couldn't make many attacks, but at one point, she managed to kick the blade out of his hand, curling into a low twist from a short hop and lashing her left leg out, foot coming into contact with Sephiroth's chest. Having recalled the lessons Seth gave to Yuffie, while the other girls were present, herself included; she manipulated her internal energy _just_ right, to throw the taller man back.

Seeing no choice, she grasped the sword she'd knocked out of his hand, only to gape as the man just smirked, manifesting a much _larger_ blade. She almost had a panic attack, seeing how the blade was longer than he was tall. It grew worse when he attacked her with it. He was _much_ more skilled with this one than the other! He was _blindingly_ fast! She could barely keep up with his movements!

As it was, right now…she needed a miracle…

_I…I won't lose here. I won't __**die**__ here! Not…not while I have someone to live for! I __**refuse**__ to die again! I defeated a God! I defeated __**two**__ Gods! I defeated the highest of Angels, I've slain the Queen of Battle herself! Odin, Freya, Lezard Valeth, Gabriel Celeste, even the Ethereal Queen fell before me! I am a Gods be Damned __**Valkyrie**__ in all but __**Title!**__ I __**will not**__ fall to this __**bastard**__!_

Her determination flared beyond its limits. Her spiritual power rose and rose, memories of battles, defeats, victories…friends lost, friends _hurt_, friends _kicking __**ass**__._ She remembered it all, she _reclaimed_ it all. Even if her Einherjar-no, her _friends_ were not here to battle alongside her, she _remembered_ them! She housed the youngest of Valkyrie, she _became_ **THE** Valkyrie! The very Warrior Goddess that even **Odin himself** feared! She had once ascended **beyond** even the greatest of Gods!

And somewhere within, she _knew_ that she retained even just a **fragment** of that power, and that it was _more_ than enough to silence this _fool_!

She had no doubts that should she have fallen before him, Seth would come, and _crush _him. But she didn't want retribution to be done _in her name_. She demanded it done **by her hand**!

_I am Alicia! Princess-no…__**Queen**__ of Dipan! Slayer of Gods! I will __**not**__ be bowed by a __**parasite!**_

With a mighty yell of fury, a pale white aura ripped from the young woman's body, the ground beneath her crunching and morphing, splintering underneath the sheer spiritual pressure she was putting out. In another world, another lifetime, this effect of one's inner will would be called **Reiatsu**. But that was a term that no being in this reality knew…save one.

But even that being, didn't know they knew.

Yet.

_This pressure…a feeling of sheer power comparable to my own…_

The silver haired man's eyes narrowed at the writhing, near invisible aura coming off of the screaming girl. He was unaffected, impressed, but unmoved by the force coming from her _soul_, though he could not pinpoint its true origin. Others were gaping, or cringing, wishing to get away from the feeling of _death_ that was coming off of Alicia. Aerith herself simply stumbled, tripping and unintentionally ducking under a horizontal swing aimed to knock her out that she would have blocked anyway. She turned around, rubbing her head and blinking rapidly.

Her core was so _bright_! Who was this girl who had such a powerful essence comparable to ancient warriors like Sephiroth and even Seth?

Yuffie just gaped. She knew Alicia was tough; you had to be, in order to be willing to stare down and take on Hades. But she didn't know she was _this_ tough. Then again…Alicia _had_ been complaining about not having a proper channel for her spiritual power. Perhaps…it wasn't all bluster? Could she truly have come from a world where one could only _really_ unleash their full power with a properly attuned weapon?

She had to take into consideration _her_ own situation. But then again, when she thought about it, the Yukianesa simply gave her a different avenue of attack and defense. It granted her _more_ power on top of her own skills, adding new ways to wield them. She didn't _need_ it, it simply was a booster. So perhaps they _were_ different…

Still, Yuffie's gape turned into a grin. She _knew_ how dangerous Sephiroth was. They _all_ did. She was beginning to piece things together; why Sephiroth showed up and started attacking Alicia, why he let her take the sword he was using, before he drew his _real_ one, why Aerith got in Cloud's way, and fought him to keep him from Sephiroth's fight with the Princess.

Her conclusion decided, Yuffie opened her mouth.

"KICK HIS ASS GIRL!"

And Yuffie had to smile to herself, as she watched the glowing blonde-haired missile rip forward, intending to do just that.

With a roar of defiance, Alicia hauled ass, ground cracking beneath her feet with every step. She was moving faster than before, but even to Sephiroth she was still moving just a tad too slowly. He readied his blade, prepared to meet hers…but something was…off. Why was the pressure getting _denser_?

She stepped up to him, swinging blade underhand low. He blocked, but blinked in surprise. There was _far_ more **power** in that swing than he expected! He blinked again as she simply reset herself, swinging underhand once again, only from the opposite side. He blocked the blow just like the first, but had to tense even more to do it. Was she suddenly getting _stronger_? He flipped his blade in hand, holding it in a reverse grip, to block the _heavy_ horizontal swing, which actually forced him _backward_.

The time it took for him to reset his stance to retain his balance, was long enough for the girl to crouch low, swinging _heavily_ upward to the right, a trail of power being left behind. He blocked it like all before, but found his arm thrown to the side. As if the girl had a Double Attack Materia, she suddenly flipped the blade in hand, swinging it upward to the _left_, another trail of power being left behind, as if she'd torn a scar into the very air in front of her. He was able to defend that as well, but only just.

And then, she pulled the blade overhead, bringing it straight down, a final line of scarred air tearing itself through the other two. Sephiroth then found himself stunned, for his blade had _cracked_ from the force of her _**Violent Rage**_**.**

A blade, mind you, made from the energies of his _soul_. Meant to be **unbreakable** as long as his will held.

Now, he was actually a _mite_ worried.

Not only that but he was thrown backward, the man actually _stumbling_ to keep his balance from the **force** within her swing. Yet she wasn't done. She gripped her blade, the sword giving a brief flare of pale white light, before she spun on her heel, manifesting and launching a _kunai_ of all things. He blocked the kunai with his sword, noting that his blade cracked _further_, but was too surprised to defend against the reverse-gripped thrust she followed with, moving at a speed that _almost_ matched his. He took it in the right shoulder, the pauldron upon it weakening the blow, but he was still hurt slightly from the sheer _energy_ circulating through the blade, in a similar way that Genesis could wield it.

And then he felt his teeth chatter, as she'd suddenly thrown her weight backwards and flip-kicked him in the chin. Ok _that_ he didn't see coming. Nor did he expect the crescent shaped blade of energy to be _launched_ from the sword, for it to repeatedly spiral around him, carving into his skin. This…_**Whirlwind Ripper**_ actually hurt.

Yet she _still_ wasn't finished with him.

While he was being suspended in the air by the whirling razor sharp forces, she stabbed the sword into the ground, clapped her hands together, _focused_ and **manifested** a bow out of thin air. From there, she angled herself, left leg stretched forward, right knee bent backward as a brace. Left arm extended out, she manifested a single arrow that seemed to glow with a faint pink shimmer, and loosed it.

Only for the arrow to become **hundreds**.

A literal wall of metal tipped wood _screamed_ through the air, storming past, into and even _through_ Sephiroth. The _**Pulverizing Storm**_ fell upon him like the stingers of an army of enraged wasps. Some bounced off his pauldrons, some simply cut deep into his body, piercing the protections of his jacket _and_ power field, and some actually remained within his flesh, puncturing his skin, staying there like hooks. And some he tried to block with his blade, being stunned into inaction by the fact that it had now _shattered_.

Now, he recalled what _agony_ felt like. On top of which, his sword, manifested from his _soul_ was **broken**. Here…he grew _quite_ worried.

If she could shatter his _soul forged_ blade…

She yanked out her sword from the ground, and pulled it across her chest.

"I shall engrave this upon your very **Soul!**"

**SLASH**

Left to right downward swing. Pivot.

**SLASH**

Left to right horizontal swing. Pivot again.

**THP**

A full body thrust, piercing the stomach.

_**SLASH**_

Full weight left to right upward swing, blade digging into skin, energy thrown behind the blow for forced levitation.

"Finishing Strike!"

An orb of light formed around Sephiroth, its power eclipsing his own, to his great shock.

**KCHING**

A double-ended spear, almost three times his size slammed into the orb, piercing him through the right hip.

**KCHING**

Another spear, same size, coming through the _left._

**KCHONG**

A slightly larger spear, coming from below and piercing through his stomach. His _everything_ hurt! It felt like his very _being_ had been run through! The spears seemed to make the form of an asterisk, Sephiroth dangling in between them.

Alicia kicked off the ground, sword pulsing with energy. She curled into a ball, crossing her arms before her chest, then spreading them outwards. Everyone stared in amazement as a pair of giant, translucent pale blue-white wings formed from shafts of energy cascading from her back. The twin radiant wings flapped once, their energies releasing themselves in the shapes of small feathers that gathered together in the form of a narrow, cylindrical object with a pointed tip. A gentle flash of light, and the energy solidified into a _massive_ lance.

"_**Nibelung Valesti**_**!"**

Calling the name of her soul's will, she hurled the gigantic metal lance, wreathed in pale white wisps, down to the impaled Sephiroth – for she had risen above his perforated form – and through the empty space created by the spears. It carved deep into his flesh as it seemed to not just puncture his skin, but his _soul_ as well, before all three spears seemed to flare with light, and shatter in a massive explosion of energy.

* * *

"They're quite beautiful, you know…"

Despite the high winds and altitude, Nu could hear his voice clearly. While it didn't keep them warm, his half-conscious bubble of force around them kept the winds from blowing them around, or chilling them further. For warmth, they simply huddled together.

"What are?"

"The stars. After about half a year, a constant veil of light surrounded my world. The stars were hard to see beyond it. With magic now causing our technology to go haywire, a lot of people were stranded for a while, until workarounds were made."

"And each one is its own world…"

"Supposedly. It's likely at least half of those stars in the sky are simply balls of gas that haven't yet deteriorated yet. Hell for all we know a third of what we're seeing is just remnant light."

"Indeed." She buried herself deeper into his arms, basking in the warmth of his body. "Sora's dream was to see them all."

"Pfft…unlikely. He'd have to be at least a timeless immortal to do it."

"Oh?"

"Even if only half of those stars were worlds, there's no guarantee that he'd be able to access them, let alone see what's on their surface. On top of which, there's no telling how long it would take to reach some. As well, stars, and worlds, come and go every second. What's to say he sees a star, hunts for it, and finds nothing but empty space because it already went nova? Besides, it would take countless lifetimes to even see half of them."

"True…but…what did you mean, 'timeless'?"

"Well, there's various forms of immortality, y'know."

"There are?" she was very interested in this. She knew a lot of what he knew, but it was primarily of the destructive nature. Random speculations he held, were not part of what she was born with.

"Yeah. Timeless or 'Ageless' immortality, is the kind where after a set point, you don't age any further. You never die of old age but you can still be killed. Then there's what I call 'deathless' immortality, which while sounding redundant, is specific. It's where you can't be killed by outside means, but will still age normally until you die. Then there's regenerative immortality, which is weaker than either of the two but fuses them both. That one is where your body regenerates damage at an extremely accelerated pace to the point where it seems like you don't age, and like you can't be killed. You can still die though, if someone shreds you down to the molecular level, or hacks you to enough pieces and then burns them."

Her heart began to flutter. Oh she loved it when he spoke about death.

"Then there's Spiritual immortality, where your body can die but you hold your conscious self as a sort of wraith-like existence. Through that you can continue to exist, keeping your memories and sense of existence, but you'd have to find a new body. And then there's **Immortality**."

"I could _hear_ the capital bold of that one, Master." She quipped.

"As well you should have. **Immortality** is literally a fusion of every concept. You don't age past a certain point, you regenerate, you can anchor your spirit to the living world…basically you never **die**."

"It sounds like fun."

"Are you kidding? It's _shit!_ All forms of immortality have its drawbacks, and I don't mean just in methods of dying. Ageless means you outlast everyone you know. Unless you found another ageless, spiritual or Immortal immortal, you'd just have constant heartbreaks as you watched your best friends grow old and die constantly. It's hell! Deathless means you can't die from things like having your head cut off or bloodloss or poison, meaning you could find yourself _fucked_ in the worst possible way, and would have to wait until you grew old enough that your timeline ran out!"

Her eyes widened. He clearly thought about this heavily.

"Regenerative is bullshit as well. Say you lost everything, had no reason to live, nobody could give you one, you couldn't find one, whatever. You _can't die_. You regenerate on such a level that you don't age, you can't bleed out, you regenerate too fast to have your head cut off…the only way you'd be able to kill yourself is if you found something powerful enough to _shatter_ you. And even _then_, if your existence is too strong, it might not work! Spiritual? Pfft, you'd constantly have to body hop, and after a while you'd want to rest, but your soul wouldn't be able to move on. On top of which, someone could create an array that sealed you somewhere. Be it in a specific location you can't leave, or in a damn chamber pot!"

As he ranted about the downsides of various forms of immortality, Nu came to a realization. He thought of abstract concepts far more, and far deeper than even _she_ knew. To the point where he'd imagined counters for counters of counters.

And it was _seriously_ turning her on.

"And don't even get me started on **Immortal** immortality. Literally nothing can be done to you to make you die? Loneliest existence in the universe. Like, honestly, only a god or goddess of **Death** would be able to kill an **Immortal** immortal. And even then, it's iffy."

"…that is so hot."

Seth blinked. "W-wha?"

"I'm sorry Master, but listening to you rant about abstract concepts…seriously turns me on. I won't lie."

"I…o…kay…?"

She just snuggled closer.

"You've taught me so much…you are the best, Master."

He didn't even tense. Even though he was just ranting away…Seth was relaxed. Very, very relaxed. In a way that he hadn't been in too long a time. It was almost as if he could…forget…for now…the _crap_ he'd had to deal with. All the pains and struggles…and just relax. Only when having 'bath time' with Miri was he able to get even close to this. Slowly, he let loose a soft sigh, pulling the girl in his arms closer to him.

"Thank you…Nu."

Unseen, she simply smiled, feeling something in her heart _flare_.

* * *

The doors closed behind her. The date had ended, Nu requesting he leave her at the entrance to the Gathering Hall. Miri wanted bath time, and Seth had things to think over. She gave him a parting hug and kiss on the cheek, promising she would try to gain another favor from Kairi for another date. He had left through a Corridor, and she had stepped through the doorway, where _everyone_ had been gathered. Some had been admiring Alicia's new sword, others strategizing repairs on the castle, and a few tinkering away with random devices.

But all motion stopped when she stepped through. They all watched the black haired girl smile to herself. She closed her eyes, black rays engulfing her body. In seconds, the inverted light cleared. And Kairi stood before them. Her eyes stared ahead, blankly, before she dropped to her knees, head bowed. Concerned, the others rushed to her, Sora reaching her first.

"Kairi? Kairi what's wrong?"

Slowly, the girl rose her head. Sora blinked in surprise. Why was she _crying?_ Tears flowed down her cheeks. Their link pulsed with her confusion, her…fear…her…betrayal?

"Kairi…talk to me Kai."

"…I think…I love him."

That one phrase stunned the group.

"…what happened Kai?" Sora pushed.

"I saw…everything. I saw his heart…the whole time. I was stuck, watching it. It was blocked off…but slowly…event after event…it opened. It was only truly open for the briefest of moments…but I saw…"

She wasn't looking at Sora. She wasn't looking at _anything_. Her eyes could only see **bright**.

"It…was the most beautiful thing…the most chaotic thing…he truly is…a world unto himself…"

Her voice was…wistful. Almost…longing. As if she'd seen Nirvana, and wished to return.

"A chaotic mass of colors and feelings…chains tethered to the ether, clear representations of the emotional links to the people he held dear…even that strange…empty space…like a chunk taken out of his very being…even _that_ held its own sort of beauty. A single space devoid of the chaos, devoid of _anything_, a chaos unto its own…"

It wasn't just her left, red eye glowing. Her blue one was glowing as well. Her voice was soft, scratchy as if holding back raw emotion.

"At that moment…it felt like everything I tried to hide was stripped from me…as if all that was left was my bare self. I was faced with…_truth_. And nothing I said nor did could combat it. I was faced with my _core_ _self_. My true feelings…and in that moment I understood…I _love_ him. I can't _not_. It…was at first a side effect of the link between us…he is just…so much more chaotic than any of us could ever imagine. Even our link…pales in comparison, Sora. His…_being_ is so much more than yours, it **had** to be, to _survive_ what he's been through…"

Riku was worried. This is exactly what he _didn't_ want to have happened!

"**But that isn't all…is it, Kairi?"**

A second voice came from her mouth, the red eye flaring. The group was unnerved. It was one thing to hear 'of' someone, it was another to have Nu in control as Anti-Form. It was an entirely different beast, to hear Nu's voice coming from Kairi's mouth. **"You saw more than just that. More than just Power and Soul."**

"I saw it all…everything he was…I couldn't comprehend it all, but I _saw _it. And I _felt_ it. Everything he's ever felt, all at once."

"**A chaos all its own. An impossibility made real. To peer into the heart of another, a power that to this day, only Miri held."**

"Is that what it's like for you? To see into his heart all the time? To see the possibilities?"

"**Yes. Always. Whenever he's near, I can see Him. And it is Glorious."**

"Even the heart of our World…the heart of the Islands…even its light…"

"**The heart of a World is different from the Heart of Man. The World is a chaotic being itself, however it holds few emotions. It is merely the source of Life for its dwellers. A source of Power that gives rise to the souls that exist. The Heart of Man itself is a much more chaotic, much more varied light. And **_**His**_** heart…"**

"The Heart of Chaos…such…beauty…it is incredible…"

"**Now you see his **_**true**_** glory. The him I have seen for the longest time. the him I have learned of, the him I was born of, the him I have loved."**

"I love him…but…I love Sora…why…have I been broken…? Is there something wrong that I've done…?"

"**Must it be wrong to Love another? To Love many?"**

"But…is it not a finite thing?"

"No." A single, quiet voice cut in. It wasn't Aerith, like some would expect. It wasn't even Sora.

Ino pushed past the rest, Alicia trailing behind.

"Love is infinite…it is varied. It is something that cannot be measured in any scope. It is the deepest of Chaos. It's not wrong at all, to love more than one at once. Its humans that push singularities upon it. Love…it is forever changing, growing, connecting. Love is not something that can be contained, or even directed. Love is the freest of emotions, following its own will, its own path. All we can do is watch, and learn. You aren't broken…Kairi…you're not even Confused. You know, you just don't yet understand."

Kairi's empty gaze turned to Ino, as the girl spoke.

"You…you're right…it's just…so confusing. It goes against everything we've been told…taught…"

"That's reality for you." Alicia snarked, a grin on her face. "Everyone tells you things, and it turns out they were either all wrong, or only half-right in the end. I can't say much…I've only been in love twice myself, but…Ino's got the right idea, I think."

"To be honest…" _Now_ Aerith spoke up. "I've…felt love. All sorts. From love of family, to romantic love, to…twisted, corrupted, sexual deviance love, to even the romantic love of a brother and sister…or sisters…or brothers…or fathers and mothers or cousins or…well I've felt just about every classification of love…good and bad…that one can feel."

"Wait what?" Leon sputtered.

"When I was One with the Planet…all those memories…all those thoughts…for a time…they were my own. I don't know what it was that allowed me to keep my own will, maybe it's who I was, or maybe I just had a strong enough mind, the way Sephiroth did…but I felt it all. Every conceivable emotion, I've felt as if it were my own. So…I know where you're coming from, Kairi. It's a horrible feeling to feel like you're betraying someone you love, even for someone _else_ you love. But…you're in a rather unique position."

"**She's right. Sora is rather easy-going. And Master won't push the issue…especially not with **_**that**_** wall that keeps coming up."**

"What wall?" Aerith asked. Did this mean Nu knew what it was that kept her from being able to friggin bed the prick?

"The wall of _fear_." Kairi responded, having felt it slide into place at multiple times.

"**We have felt a barrier around his heart, one that acts autonomously to his other mental shields. One that seems more reflex, than intentional make. It is **_**fear**_**. But we don't know what it is Master fears, that causes it to spring into place. The fear is so powerful, so **_**jarring**_**…so unlike him…that its origin is nearly untraceable."**

"Well…that explains a few things…" Aerith muttered, shocked.

"**The most common times are when someone professes their love for him. Truthfully. The wall of fear springs up, and he changes the subject, or craftfully redirects things."**

"Is that why you never said it today? I _thought_ something was off about that…" Kairi questioned her other self.

"**I wanted you to see what I saw. And the only way to do that was to allow his heart to open fully. I'd noted the pattern long ago."**

"Hmph…crafty bitch…"

"**I **_**am**_** you after all. You are not where I want you to be…not yet. But you are finally beginning to understand. There might be hope for you still."**

Kairi shook her head. "There's still…too much I don't get…but…I can't keep fighting it…I'm on my last chance…aren't I…?"

"**Yes. At this point, I've come too far to let you screw things up now. This **_**will**_** end. One way or another."**

"And I'd rather not cease to exist…and I can't defeat you…no matter what I did."

"**Your Light is strong…but if there is one thing I can count on Master for, it is his sense of Balance. He would rather there be no Kairi at all, than to allow the type of imbalance your foolishness would create, should it continue."**

"I've seen what it is you've seen…we're on even footing now…that's what you've been trying to do all this time…isn't it? Put us on equal ground."

"**It's the only way to make sure the transition, either our merger, or my victory, would be smoothest. It is **_**also**_** the only way to make sure that should I be forced to consume you, Master will not destroy Us in return."**

"I…I understand now…but…you realize I still need time…time to…really get my hands deep in this."

"**Time we may not have. That blank area…something has caused it to grow. I don't know what it is…and that's a problem. Because it seems even Master isn't aware of it."**

"And we can't tell him…it's one of those things that would put him on edge, which might make it grow more…"

"**We will simply have to finish **_**our**_** business…and hope the outcome helps stabilize the problem. If it even **_**is**_** a problem…"**

* * *

**(BGM: Wild Arms Alter Code F – World of Loudening Screams**)

They came from nowhere.

Yeah like _that_ was new.

A horde of winged, marble fleshed creatures. Some looking like men with bird-like heads, some being _just_ heads. Some in armor, some in robes. Some clutching staves, others with large swords and round shields, still others with bows that could split into twin daggers. Riding flares of light, golden tinged rings of interlocking symbols flowing through the air, heralding their approach. They came, and struck in the midday sun.

Non-combatants screamed and panicked as the creatures lashed out with a fury not seen before. Immediately the Keybearers, as well as the warriors of the Restoration Committee flocked out in a counter-attack. Waves of fire, beams of light, torrents of water, hailstorms of icicles…elements of every nature were hurled at the invading force. Keyblades formed from waves of light, swinging and slashing, blades of tempered steel hacked at those who threatened their home.

A flash of light, a blue haired maiden. Suddenly, she was replaced with an imposing being clad in blue armor. Her swings and strikes were not hampered by her sudden weighted defenses, as if the armor wasn't even there. Her spells became stronger, her strikes heavier, but her movements retained their fluidity. She could fight at her full strength now that she had reclaimed her blade of Heart's Light.

But…for some reason the creatures were not dying. In fact, they seemed to be taking less damage from the Keyblades than they were from the Committee's attacks. This was something that went noticed by multiple within their group, but none had any idea why…except two.

There was _one_ whose Keyblade was doing normal, if not slightly increased damage. And that one, was Seth. The hook-tipped Keyblade was carving through flesh with the ease of a normal sword. The creature's defenses being torn down with every swing. But someone else noticed that he was having less difficulty than others. Oh the creatures were still not _breaking_ as of yet, but he was definitely causing them pain, pushing them to the edges of their ungodly existence.

_**Kairi! Fall back a minute!**_

_Eh?!_

Crossing her twin Keyblades above her head, the red haired girl caught the vertical chop that her current foe was trying to cleave her in two with. She winced as the four points of the fan-bladed staff spun dangerously, threatening to saw into her skull, before she pushed forward, throwing her target's weight out of balance, blowing it back with a condensed wall of pressure.

Though her fields were nowhere near Seth's matter-crushing strength, since Nu had forced her claim, turning her eye red, her ties over the immaterial concept of Gravity had grown stronger.

_**Do you see how easily Master is damaging these creatures?**_

_Yeah I kinda noticed that. What gives?_

_**Open your eyes, Kairi. And **__**Look**__**.**_

Confused, but understanding the meaning of her Anti-Existence's words, Kairi took a gamble and focused her inner energies. From the power granted to her as Princess of Heart, she was sensitive to flows of Light and Dark. While her sensory ability was not very strong, due to not even having a _clue_ how to practice and hone such an ability, it was still present. And it was this power, that allowed her to _understand_.

…_his Keyblade…it's not like ours'. It's…_

_**Dark. His Keyblade's inherent element is Darkness.**_

_Wait…_

She turned her temporarily enhanced sight to the rest of the attacking horde. They were glowing with a distinct _white_ tinge. White meaning…

_These things…they're creatures of __**Light?!**_

_**That explains why the non-keybearers are doing more damage than we are. Your attacks are all heavily light aligned. Your Keyblade is of the Princess of a Heart of Light. It is powerful, but it is still light elementally aligned.**_

Kairi had but one response to that.

_Get ready to switch._

Nu was surprised. _**Really? So easily?**_

_I don't have the time to squabble with you about it…and…even if I did, at this point I don't think I'd bother. You're everything I'm not…no…you're everything I try to push away about myself. And honestly I'm tired of it. And you. It's not doing me any good. So…I need you. I need __**myself**__. Light or Dark…I don't care anymore. It's not worth fighting over._

_**I'm impressed. We still have work to do though.**_

_Can't do it if we're dead, now can we._

_**Life Links.**_

_Even so. I'm sure it would be painful. Even if we could fully regenerate, do we really want to deal with that pain?_

_**Good point. Still. You fought me for too long.**_

_If it's another date you want, you can have it._

_**No…I want something more than that.**_

…_fine. But you'll have to get him to get over his fear of the emotions tied to it first._

_**Gladly.**_

* * *

_**ANTI-FORM**_

After rushing at Seth and demanding he kiss her, Kairi shifted states to Nu, allowing her Anti-Existence, her shadow, to take control. Nu gave Seth a quick peck on the cheek, before rushing away and lashing out a giant fist at a leaping staff-wielder.

"…now why the hell'd-

And then he noticed. The monster took _much _more damage.

"Wait…_fuck!_ That's why!"

He blew back a trio of charging creatures and took a deep breath...

"**EVERYONE LISTEN UP! THESE THINGS ARE LIGHT ELEMENTAL! ANYTHING WITH A LIGHT ALIGNMENT DOES LESS DAMAGE! IF YOU'VE GOT ANYTHING BASED OFF OF DARKNESS, USE THAT INSTEAD. IF NOT, STICK TO WATER OR EARTH! AVOID FIRE AND WIND!"**

Nu smirked to herself, as she kicked away another creature, leaving a visible imprint in its flesh. "He figured it out."

_Good thing too._

And in a rush, he blew away some of them attacking Sora's group of him, Roxas, Riku and Ino.

"Sora, can you change to Oblivion?"

The brunette shook his head. "Not while Roxas is using it."

Roxas blinked. "Go for it bro." Both the Oblivion and Oathkeeper Keyblades vanished.

"I've got a few of my own I haven't used in a while." In his hands formed two Keyblades. In his dominant right hand, formed a primarily silver, sharp edged Keyblade. With two triangles extending off of a narrow shaft, looking like closed hooks, and a black, curved handguard, the Keyblade looked like something Seth would approve of. In Roxas' off hand, formed a primarily blue Keyblade ending in a circular hook made of shifting black and blue. The outer edge of the hook was lined with angry looking spikes, as the handguard was a pale blue.

"Daaaaamn." Seth spoke, impressed. "Those look hella sick son."

Roxas gave a wry grin. "Damn right. These bad boys kept our butts out of the fire a bunch of times, right Ino?"

The black haired girl returned his grin and nodded. "I honestly forgot about those…it feels like it's been forever. But that's alright, now we can take these monsters down."

Roxas turned to Seth. "You said these things are all Light elementals?"

"Yeah, so your special moves aren't gonna do shit against them. Sorry mate."

"Lame. Whatever. Just have to deal with it."

Seth nodded. "Right. Alright, Sora, grab Oblivion, tear up whatever you can. Ino…fuck shit up. You've got the most variance out of all of us. Roxas, cover Ino's back. She can cover every needed zone, but it takes a few seconds for her to switch."

Roxas, Sora, and Ino nodded, focused.

"And Riku, for the love of Tia, fucking tap that well of darkness Goddammit. If you puss out I'm taking Kitetsu and chopping your damn dick off."

Riku glared and scoffed but there was a noticeable aura of dark energy beginning to swirl around him.

"Good." Seth nodded at the teen. He looked around.

"Nu needs backup. Ino, Roxas, take some of the heat off her. Sora, head to Aqua and play support, take out anything she can't. Riku, span the field. Anyone who needs a hand, give them cover and then jet. Got it?"

This time they _all_ nodded. Ino, however, had a small flush to her cheeks. _I think I understand why Alicia gets aroused when he starts getting like this…_

"Alright. Let's fuck shit up, people!"

The group dispersed in the directions indicated.

"Looks like it's our turn, eh Miri?"

The girl faded in from his shadow…but her eyes were downcast, face set in a frown.

"Miri…?"

Seth looked at the white-haired child, concerned. "What's wrong?"

"…pointless…"

"What's pointless?"

"…everything. …we won't win…"

Now he was _really_ concerned. She normally would fight.

"Miri…what's the matter? Do you sense something?"

"…look around…too many. Even with a boost…still too many. The Carrier isn't here yet…but there's an army."

Seth did as she spoke…and he had to agree. Even with the changes to the battle plan, there were still so many. And the damn Barrier never popped up. It was lucky that Isa, Lea and Arlene had shown up when they did actually, to give the Committee members an extra hand, even if Lea's flames weren't as effective as they could have been. Still…if this went on for much longer, Miri was right…

They were facing an army. An army of soldiers capable of taking _far_ too much damage. Even now only about ten of the horde of fifty ground-based opponents had been _broken_ while the rest were constantly swapping between backing away and attacking.

"…we can change things though. It'll hurt…yeah…but we can at least mess things up a bit. The Kitetsu's a Dark Blade as it is."

Miri just shook her head, staring off into the distance, as if seeing something he couldn't.

"C'mon Miri, don't give up on me _now_. We've been through worse together, haven't we?"

At those words, her sight was taken over by a brief vision.

A dark, nearly black skinned figure.

Flowing white hair.

Four Keyblades.

_**Blank…empty grey eyes…eyes that mirrored her own…eyes that spoke so deeply to her…**_

Here…she made her choice.

"_We_ can't…"

Seth blinked, hearing the tonal difference in the first word.

Suddenly, he was knocked onto his back. Miri appearing, straddling his waist.

"…**I** can…"

"Mi-

She put a finger to his lips.

**(BGM: Wild Arms – The Miracle of Love)**

"I…understand…now. The dreams…the dreams that I've been having."

A week into Yuffie's training, Miri had asked Seth about seeing strange sights during her sleep. Seth had explained to her the concept of dreaming, and explained that even on his world, they hadn't truly figured out what they were. _"Some say they're visions of the future, some say the past. Others say they're sights into different realities and worlds beyond our own. Still others say they're simply mental constructs created to keep our minds going so our brains don't shut down while the rest of our bodies enter stand-by mode. And even others say they're products of an entirely different world. Nobody knows, everyone speculates. But they're strange. Some are good, some are bad, some are fun, others scary, and many just make absolutely no sense, yet while you're in them, it seems perfectly logical to you. In the end…we dream, but no one answer can be given about what they are…"_

But since then, Miri kept having them. More and more. She never told him what they were about, but told him she was having them. She…wanted to figure it out for herself. Because there was an _odd_ feeling to them. As if they were familiar. As if the events she saw, were important to her, for some reason.

"Last night…I had another one…a new one. And then everything made sense to me. I understand now. They aren't dreams…"

She pulled him up, so he was propped on his elbows. Her small hands grasping his shoulders, flexing, as if kneading them. The impromptu massage in the middle of a miniature war put him on edge, moreso that it was from _Miri_ of all beings.

"I know…now…what they are. What I've been seeing. And I understand."

"Miri…what-

Again, finger to his lips.

"It's not something I can tell you…but I know you know, deep inside. If not now…then soon. I…made a promise. A promise to you. Because we _understand_ one another. We're the same…you and I. But…you have something of mine…something I need. I need it…to keep that promise I made. It's time…that I took it back."

It was here, that suddenly the creatures slowed in their attacks. Rushing monsters lost momentum, trotting to a standstill. Swings were aborted before they were committed, charging attacks were tapered off. There was an unusual sensation flowing through their spirits. A warning. A command to stop and behold. Something was changing in the world around them, something important. And to ignore this, would be to invite their ends.

Thus, almost as one…they all turned to where Miri was, sitting on top of Seth's lap, staring him in the eyes, the girl covered in a slowly increasing haze of faint, dark energy.

"You were the only one…to show me even the slightest of kindness. You were the only one…to make me feel anything other than _numb_. You gave me back my _hope_...and for that I'll always be grateful. I owe you everything…I always have…and I always will. And on that day…when I stood against **her**…I made a promise. To you, and to myself."

As she spoke, her hands had slowly moved from his shoulders, to his chest. She felt his heart racing, drank in his conflicting emotions. She knew, what she was about to do could be considered breaking her promise…but only halfway. He held what she needed, and it pained her, but she had to do this, in order to gain it back. To end this makeshift war before it could truly start.

He would understand, in time…and even if he didn't…she would hold to her promise.

No matter what.

Slowly, she cupped his face, supporting his head by her palms.

"I promised then…and I promise now…"

Slowly, her head dipped towards his.

"I will _always_ protect you."

And then she kissed him.

His eyes widened in shock, but then slowly, as she pulled away, he realized what was coming next.

Yet he was powerless to stop it.

Before their eyes, in seconds…

Miri had sucked out his heart. With wide eyes, they stared in shock as the girl seemed to cradle the crystal. His heart was…different than all the others. It seemed…bigger. Thicker. Heavier almost. Denser, as if it held far more than just _his_ existence within it. But at the same time, it seemed…damaged…fragile…it was a strange dichotomy between strong and weak.

But she held it so tenderly, so _lovingly_, even as his body flumped backwards, dark energy rising from _somewhere_, attempting to engulf him, but being repelled by the child's growing aura. She placed a hand to its core, before gripping. Gently, but with obvious strength, she seemed to _pull _at the heart. It was only her strange actions that kept Ino, Alicia, even Yuffie from racing at the girl and attempting to behead her for her obvious betrayal.

But even they could do nothing but stare as slowly…a _second_ crystal formed. A smaller, brighter crystal. A heart, within a heart.

Still in control of Kairi's body, Nu gasped as the implications _slammed_ into her. _That_ explained why Miri had became human. That explained why Miri was able to **exist** period! Somehow, _Seth held Miri's heart_.

And now the girl was taking it back.

In moments, the heart shaped outline appeared around the glimmering gem. She held the smaller heart in her right hand, and Seth's larger heart in her left. Calmly, she lowered his heart back in the direction of his chest, where it began to shimmer and fade as it gently floated towards him. Once it was safely back within him, Miri nodded to herself, absently noting that his eyes had opened, and had latched onto her form. Slowly, she rose and stepped away, staring at the still horde. She took one obvious look at them, and then looked at the glittering crystal in her hand.

Gently, she held it close to her chest, and everyone watched, Nu's theory becoming confirmed as it faded into her. Only Nu and Kairi had any inkling as to why she did _that_, rather than consume it.

But then Miri shuddered heavily. The air around her seemed to pulse, a violent haze coating her body. She dropped to her knees, clutching her chest, as suddenly _power_ flowed through her. A faint rumbling began resonating through the ground, as if the world, or something _more_ were being disturbed. Small specks of black, bubbling mass began to trail from the ground beneath her. Her breaths came out in ragged pants, like one who'd just run a marathon. Lines began tracing themselves along her flesh, black trails coursing through her veins, as her hair began to flow wildly behind her.

A soft, rushing sound flowed through the ears of all who were present, growing louder and louder, until it reached a deafening crescendo…

And then suddenly stopped.

Everything stopped.

Until she _spoke_.

"_**cEzE baludo sos infel."**_

And then all hell broke loose.

**(BGM: Dark PHOENIX: Arrow Rain – ****幽霊楽団 ****Phantom Ensemble)**

A massive pillar of black ripped from the girl's body upon her unintelligible proclamation. For what felt like an eternity, the pillar reached to the heavens, coating the sky a murky black. Clouds were dispersed, the sun was dimmed, as a veil of darkness enshrouded the World. Invader or Native, Keybearer or Normal, all anyone could do was stare at the pillar of darkness as it corrupted the very world around it. The roar of pure dark energy, unfettered and raw, washed over all. Everyone could only recoil as their very hearts were thrown into fear and panic by the presence of such pure power.

Except for Nu. She reveled in it, knowledge of Life and Power echoing through her. Through her ties to the Light from her original self, through her ties to the Dark from her own unexpected existence, she _knew_.

And she smiled.

Slowly though…the pillar began to recede into the shape of a small dome. And even then, the dome began to splinter, and peel away like the rinds of an orange. And once the dome had faded away, they saw _**her**_.

Long legs seeming to stretch forever. Thick calves displaying obvious muscle, prepared to crush all that fell underfoot. An hourglass figure. Soft-looking, perky, supple breasts. Long, flowing white hair, thick strands in soft curls to frame her heart-shaped face. Milk colored flesh. Small, pouty, peach-colored lips. Pale yellow eyes tinted with green.

Before them stood a _woman_ of obvious make. A _woman_ whose sheer presence _screamed_ power.

"…Miri…?"

Came the soft voice of Seth. The woman turned her head slowly, looking back at him. They didn't see her smile. A smile that was _just_ for him.

But what elation, what relief might have come from it was quickly squashed by the next two events.

The first, being the woman holding her right hand out. Crackles of violet, black and red sparks raced around her wrist before in a blaze of dark energy, formed a _very_ familiar Keyblade. The same black Keyblade with red jagged lines, ending in a wicked, sharp angled hook, that Seth had used all this time.

And then it hit him. It hit him, and it hit one other at the same time.

"No…"

_What? What's wrong?_

"That's…that means…"

_Nu? What's going on? That's Miri, right? Why does she have Seth's Keyblade?_

"…it wasn't _Seth's_…"

Yet then, another flare of darkness. This time even Miri blinked. The flare took the shape of a simple Keyblade, one resembling the Kingdom key, only where there was shining silver, there was gold, and where gold was, was silver.

"The Keyblade from the Realm of Darkness!" Sora yelled out.

"Wait. Didn't King Mickey say it went to _Seth?!_" Riku blurted.

"No…it didn't go to _Seth_…it went to _Miri_…" Nu muttered. "Which means…"

"Invaders from the Realm of Light."

The woman spoke, a strong, heavy voice of obvious authority. A voice of _power_. One that spoke hints of lust and desire, tinged with focus and will. A strong, heavy sound, one that echoed Nu's own, but was clearly older, stronger, somehow…more experienced. As if the speaker held knowledge beyond time itself, knowledge of all form, of pain and suffering and joy and sorrow.

It was hard, but soft edged. Alicia thought it felt similar to Hrist, after she had come to understand Odin's fallacy.

"Your presence here is not needed, nor wanted. I know why you have come. I know what your purpose is. Return now, or face destruction." Though framed as a request, it held hints of _promise_. As if she was absolutely certain that her proclamation would become reality.

"…she's not talking about us…is she?" Roxas questioned nervously.

A cadre of squawks, crows, screeches and roars answered his question.

"So be it. I am **Miri**. Keeper of the **Black Heart**. This world, these people are under **my** alliance. Therefore they are partially under **my** jurisdiction. I give you one final chance. Leave now, in peace, or leave in pieces." This time, none could mistake the threat.

More roars of defiance.

"Keeper of the Black Heart…?" Aerith muttered, confused. "What does-

"BY THE GODS!" Alicia suddenly exclaimed, catching everyone's attention. It all made sense now! While she wasn't around for the original adventure, Seth had done a very good job explaining the concepts behind the world she lived in now. And while she was rather meek and shy during the onset of her _own_ journey, it did nothing to belittle her natural intelligence.

She put it together, before anyone save perhaps Nu could. But even Alicia herself would admit, Nu is an unusual existence, therefore the "rules" don't always apply to her.

"She's a **Princess of Heart!**"

Eyes widened all around.

_What?! But that's-_

"Seven fragments of light…seven fragments of _pure_ light. Who…is to say the Universe wouldn't balance things out…by creating at least _one_ of **Darkness**?" Nu spoke, in awe.

"Very well…I will waste no more words upon you."

She gave them a chance. Just like he would have wanted. She knew their purpose. She knew what they were made, meant to do. Even if he didn't remember, even if he didn't _know_, she knew. And she understood. But she would not let them succeed. She had _her_ heart back. She claimed her place in the world. She would always be his Protector. The Realm of Darkness supports its own. And he was its greatest champion. Even if he didn't know he was.

But he would. In time. It was her duty, her _choice_, to make sure he lived long enough for that to happen. She could feel his pain. His _heartbreak_ at learning that the Keyblade he was using wasn't his. He held her heart. He woke _her_ Keyblade. And then, because of her devotion, because of her _being_, the Realm of Darkness chose _her_ to be its Keeper.

She didn't need the connection between them to feel his _hurt_.

But she would stand by her choices. Even if he ended up rejecting her, she would stay by him. She promised she would. And like him, she keeps her promises.

He had the strength, obviously. He had the potential. But…she knew what was stopping him. He didn't, but she did. But it was something he would unfortunately need to encounter and overcome on his own. She couldn't speak to him of it. She would know, she's tried before. It wasn't merely a case of not wanting to tell him about her dreams, but not being able to. Whenever she intended to bring it up, the words died in her throat. Her mind would become clouded, chaotic. Clearly some power beyond her control or comprehension had a hold over her words. Over that knowledge.

But she had _faith_. He gave her _hope_ again, so long ago. And she would hold to it.

Now, however, it was time to remove the threat to _him_.

* * *

It wasn't a battle.

It was a massacre.

Moments after speaking her last, Miri _cut_ the air. And from where she cut, hundreds of Heartless emerged. Shadows, Neo-Shadows, Darkballs, Invisibles…even Darksides emerged. A horde for a horde. An army, for an army.

Emboldened by their Princess, empowered by the awakening of the **Black Heart** the Heartless horde tore the invading marble-fleshed creatures to pieces.

But Miri did not lead the charge. She may have been their Princess, but she was first and foremost, Seth's guardian. Not a single creature of the opposing force got close to him. They would be felled by Miri before they could. And to everyone's surprise, Miri took it a step further.

She gave Nu a Keyblade.

Though the others had once again joined in battle, weapons and magic alike flowing through the air, Yuffie and Nu discovering their powers, their _abilities_ being boosted by the strange field of Darkness around them, one that seemed as a veil between this world, and the Realm of Darkness itself; the defenders were not as empowered as the Heartless they ironically fought alongside. Thus, Miri decided she did not currently have need of _two_.

The same way Riku took Sora's Keyblade, the way Riku gave his to Sora, temporarily against Xemnas, the way Sora could claim Roxas' blades as his own for a time; Miri gave Nu temporary ownership of the Keyblade of the Realm of Darkness. In Miri's eyes, it would both decrease the chances of an invader from growing close to her charge, as well as serve as a method of thankfulness, for the Dark Echo's work in opening Seth's heart.

Even though at this point, it likely had closed, and locked itself.

The field of Darkness had weakened the invaders enough that even Light attacks would deal at least neutral damage to them. The strange, marble-skinned creatures found their horde pushed back, their attacks parried and defended, their offenses torn apart. The charge of Humans led by an armor clad Aqua, joined by the Army of Darkness, slammed into the faux-angelic wall of screeching death. With Nu now capable of wielding a Keyblade herself, even more defenses were crushed, attacks were pierced through. Her powers grew exponentially beyond their already vast scale.

Oh how Nu was _overjoyed_. Finally she was able to wield the Weapon of the Heart like her Light counterpart. It was temporary, this she knew, but she was at least able to wield one for a time. As the invading horde began to dwindle, the remaining creatures fusing together into what Miri called the **Carrier**, the two girls weaved spells of dark energy to tear it apart.

Even its massive size, that of a giant upside-down face with twin bulbous, muscled legs sticking from its crown, a massive tail, and two long dragon-headed arms coming from underneath the two sides of its chin; spitting balls of violent flaming stone, sending shockwaves of force from every stomp, held no strength against the two Maidens of Darkness. Their Keyblades tore into its marble scales, fists of white and black pummeled its eyes, the girls themselves grabbed the twin dragon heads, twisting and pulling until they were torn off in a spray of blood and gore.

They both summoned twin massive centipedes of black and white that wrapped around the giant, crushing it, only for them to both open their mouths, dark energy gathering just before their gaping maws, only to be swallowed once it compressed into a small sphere, to be spat out in the shape of immensely powerful beams of energy. The twin **Imari **impact the broken creature, a gigantic explosion engulfing it, breaking it down into nothingness.

As the powerful explosion faded, the dust from the wall of force settled, all watched the now black bodysuit wearing Miri gently step to where Seth was sitting, just watching the events. Nu, Kairi, Alicia and Ino all felt a pang of _pain_ at the blank, broken look on his face. They watched Miri kneel down, grasping him by the shoulders, before a Door opened around them, pulling them through, into the depths of the Realm of Darkness. The Heartless horde faded back into the shadows, as the sky returned to normal.

It was this, that caused Nu to realize what had happened, as she faded back into Kairi's mind, the transformation wearing off.

"_**By the Flames of Tia…she created a **__**Reality Marble**__**…"**_

Having been informed previously, if vaguely, to the existence of such fields of power, Kairi could do nothing but wonder.

_Just…who is Miri? And what was her connection to Seth…?_

* * *

A flump of cloth. Heavy, panting breaths came from deep within a shadowed figure's chest. Stepping into a small cavern filled with dimly glowing crystals, a man stumbled his way to the place he made his current home. Coughing slightly, Sephiroth fell onto a mattress he had received from Aerith, the only person on the world to know _where_ he was at almost any time she wished.

He wasn't bleeding, surprisingly, though he _felt_ like he was.

The wounds created from his test-battle against the one called 'Alicia' _still_ hadn't healed…even two days later. It felt like a part of him would forever be wounded from her final strike.

"Heh…engraved upon the _soul_ indeed…"

He shuddered violently, before collapsing upon the makeshift bed.

"To think…someone like that…held the power to carve into my very _existence_…"

While part of him was elated that such powerful and challenging foes existed that could actually _damage_ him, a larger part was definitely worried for his own survival. Unknown to him, he shared a _very_ similar thought-process to a man he would come to pray he never came to battle against.

_If there's one…there may be more…and that is a power I would rather not face again…_

* * *

**A/N: **And there we have it. What could the implications of this be? We've seen Seth finally beginning to recover from the trauma he went through, even though it took a couple rampages and the compassion of a few girls to do it...but now, now that his worldview has been shattered, by one he trusted, no less, what will happen now?

Miri is the keeper of something called the **Black Heart**. And _**DAMN** _did she look _fine!_ Miri has now obtained the classification of Princess of Heart, of the Realm of Darkness. The keyblade that was once Seth's is now hers..._and_ she holds the Kingdom Key-D. She's quite possibly the second most dangerous existence this side of Ino! Everyone's taken a major hit to their minds, but the hits are far from over. But what could happen now...? And what the hell was Miri talking about? Can only hope to find out at this point...


	15. Zero

_Just one more…just one more and I'm free from this hell…_

It had been a long journey. The constant battles, narrow victories…but he'd made it. After who knows how many cycles in battle, with barely any time to rest or recover in between, he'd finally made it. The final fight. _His_ final fight. He'd been battling for so long…but now he was here. The last fight. Against a program everyone was claiming to be the 'God of Battle'. His foe's reputation was a fearsome one. They had appeared not long ago, proceeding to completely _decimate_ everyone they went up against.

It was a completely unorthodox fighting style, he'd heard. Borderline illegal, but considering that apparently only Disks were used, outside of the body, it was allowed. A program with seemingly enhanced capabilities. A program created, rumor had it, to clear out the current fighters in The Grid. Whether they wanted to be present, or not. A being even more fearsome than the legendary Rinzler, the once champion of the Arena, sent into battle to quell those who thought they could escape their fate.

They say that the last battle Rinzler had was against Clu himself…and that it ended in both of their deresolution. Nobody knew the truth though. But that didn't matter. What did, was the being that was loading in front of him.

**Versus: Shinryu**

_Shinryu…_Why that name was chosen, nobody knew. Only that this…_Shinryu_ was a formidable foe. No program had been able to even leave so much as a _scratch_ on it. And he could see why. The faceplate of the pitch black helmet was completely blank, save for a single, slit feral looking grey eye seemingly impressed upon the front. The circuitry of this strange, Battle Program was an odd _purple_ of all things. Even further was that instead of emitting a continuous glow, the circuitry seemed to _pulse_, strands of color being released through pathways, emerging from a strange looking symbol comprised of six triangles arranged around a seventh. First was the single triangle in the center, facing upside down. Then was a ring, followed by three more triangles at the north-west, north-east, and southern points, followed by another ring, and then a third set of triangles at the north, south-west, and south-eastern points, surrounded by one final ring.

The pattern was almost hypnotizing, to see the color emerge from the center triangle, into the first ring, and further out until it traced into the pathways along the strange Battle Program's body. It was like a human heartbeat. But it was also rather imposing. No other program had any sort of side function like that. Drawing his eyes away from the strange sight, he further noted why this program was feared.

It had _four_ disks. Rinzler only had two. And he _threw_ his like normal. This program…this…_Shinryu_, had two disks with pale blue edges attached just above its ankles. And the other two, seemed to be attached along both its arms, just above the wrists, leaving space for the hands to move, colored red.

All of a sudden, the purple made perfect sense. _Red plus blue…it used to be white that denoted neutrals…what is this…Shinryu…?_

The crowd's din came to a silence.

**Begin**

Deciding to play it safe, he tossed his red edged disk straight for Shinryu. But the so called God of Battle merely tilted its head to the side, the disk not even touching it. Then, almost as if mocking him, Shinryu just lowered its head slightly, his disk coming right back to him.

_Too obvious…have to veil my strikes._

Shinryu just stood, watching. It was unnerving. The grey eye seemed to not ever turn away from him, even though Shinryu itself never seemed to move. For the next few minutes, he tried multiple attack angles. Reflections off the walls, contorting twists and flips to try to disguise movements, even bouncing his disk off the ceiling and floor.

But nothing hit. Shinryu would just move, barely, out of the way. But the last, the bounce off the floor, had Shinryu batting his disk aside.

_Got you to move now…_

Any thought of possible victory was washed aside, as now, Shinryu decided to take the offensive. A flick of its arm, and the disk on its right arm was launched at high speeds towards him. In shock that such a slight movement could create such a fast reaction, he barely managed to drop to the ground, narrowly evading the attack aimed at his head. He rolled to the side as Shinryu was suddenly next to him, bringing its leg down.

Stumbling to his feet, he barely brought his disk up in time to block a straight jab from Shinryu' left arm. But he wasn't fast enough to dodge the spinning axe kick from Shinryu' right heel. Humming softly, the disk around Shinryu' right ankle slashed through his arm, cutting his right wrist clean off. He howled in pain, as Shinryu seemed to revolve on its foot, slashing through his chest, a narrow pale white gash opening up, spitting out voxels rapidly. Ignoring the pain resounding through his head, he clutched his chest with his left hand, still holding his disk.

He could still fight…it wasn't over yet.

But it actually was.

Shinryu became a whirlwind of lightning fast strikes. Swings of arm and leg, spinning and swiping, many cuts and gashes tore themselves open all over his body. His left leg was damaged badly, his right hip had a huge gash in the side, his right arm was missing its hand, the helmet was cracked and chipped…and finally Shinryu kicked him in the chest, throwing him back.

_N-no…This…this is…_

"**Warui na."**

Suddenly, Shinryu spoke. It was only four syllables, but it _spoke_! A soft rumble, barely noticeable but it was there! It was…regretful…? As he climbed to his feet, he watched Shinryu connect the two disks on his wrists for a brief moment. The symbol on his chest seemed to flare and…

_Is it…growing…?!_

It was. The center triangle seemed to grow outwards, followed by the first three, and then finally the second three triangles. They seemed to rise into the air while revolving, the outer three clockwise, the middle three counter-clockwise, creating a sort of aerial tunnel. He could do nothing but stare in amazement as Shinryu leapt into the air, flipping forward once before coming down towards him, right leg extended. As it jumped three rings of color emerged between the sets of triangles. The first ring, the largest, was colored red. As Shinryu passed through it, the ring seemed to be caught around it, catching the first set of triangles with it. This was repeated with the second ring, colored blue, as well as its corresponding triangles. As Shinryu passed through the final ring, the ring shrunk, taking the previous rings and their triangles with it, the revolutions stopping suddenly, three triangles connecting their tips to the center one's as the remaining three stopped on the open spaces, just outside of the now single _black_ ring. Getting over his shock, he realized that it was too late to move out of the way of the _obviously_ deadly flying kick.

And it was. Shinryu's foot connected directly to his chest, the symbol that had appeared in front of it now engraved upon his body. He felt his nervous system become set alight in pain as he stumbled back, crackles of electricity racing across his chest. He felt the corrosive intent within the symbol, his programming was being shut down, his very being becoming unraveled. And it was at this moment he realized he was _never_ meant to escape. Shinryu was truly a greater force than even Rinzler. And though he wished not to be terminated…he had to give praise unto Shinryu…for performing its function _beautifully_.

Though it was aimed at, and connected with him, that…final attack…was so elegant…so flawlessly executed. A falling strike from above, like a raging dragon dropping down upon its target. _Truly…it deserves its name…the Dragon of Truth…_

The pressure suddenly flared, and he screamed as all his senses were overloaded with pure _agony_.

And then he exploded.

* * *

"Dammit, that's the fifth empty room in a row…"

"_**This place bites man. How the fuck're we supposed to get out of here?"**_

"Hell if I know…"

"_**Aaaaah Dammit I'm BORED! Shit I'd make some damn Unversed to fight just to give us SOMETHING to do!"**_

"If I wasn't unsure about the stability of the place, I'd probably let you do it. Screw boredom I'm _hungry_."

"_**Haven't eaten for what, ten years? Could go for a nice juicy steak right about now…"**_

"You and me both. With some potatoes on the side and maybe a biscuit or two…"

"_**Aaaaah FUCK now **__**I'm**__** hungry! Thanks a lot fuckface."**_

"Tell you what, once we get out of this place, I'll eat enough for both of us."

"_**Deal. Now lets start blasting shit apart!"**_

"Man we can't do that, I told you."

"_**Blah blah all I'm hearing is a pussy talking."**_

"If I'm a pussy then so are you. Considering you're me and all."

"_**Man…fuck your logic."**_

He'd been wandering this strange location for…well, he didn't know how long. After waking up in a mildly uncomfortable chair, he found himself contacted by a voice he never thought he'd hear again. Apparently the forced fusion between them left them still separate entities, just sharing a body. As far as he knew, the x-blade wasn't around anymore, despite their unison, but then again he hadn't tried to summon it.

Surprisingly enough, the total manifestation of his inner darkness was resigned to his fate of being stuck in the back of Ventus' mind. The blonde haired teenager wasn't very antagonistic towards his other self, their minds having merged and both having come to understand the other's motivations. In turn, their unison put them both at odds with the one called 'Xehanort' for forcing them into their respective situations in the first place. They had plans to deal with him when the time came, but for now, they needed to leave this strange location.

The walls were a pale lavender-white, almost looking as if made of white marble. There were many long corridors that looked all the same, flanked by closed off rooms that were completely blank, save for the same four white stone columns holding a vase of strange white flowers. After the tenth room, they were both irritated and desperate for a way out.

"…_**ey. Did you hear that?"**_

"Eh? Hear what?"

"_**Sounded like a scream."**_

"…I didn't hear anything. Any idea which direction it came from?"

"_**Uhh…everywhere, actually. Like it came from all around us."**_

"…well that's kinda odd. Maybe it's tied to your pow-

Suddenly a soft echo of a scream reached his ears.

"_**HA! You heard it too just now, right?"**_

"…yeah…the heck was that?"

"_**Dunno but your little dinky star charm is glowing."**_

Ventus looked down…and sure enough it was. Though his was colored a soft airy green, the tips were shimmering a gentle, ocean blue.

"…Aqua…?"

"…_**yeah that kinda sounds like her, now that I think about it. Should probably use that thing and go help out that total hottie."**_

"Dude, eww. She's like my big sister!"

"_**Pfft, and? Just means she knows what she's doing better. I'd hit it."**_

Ventus was going to protest further, but then stopped. The problem – he'd come to understand – was that Vanitas was basically his other half. The side of him that was Dark. Meaning that whatever Vanitas felt, or thought, or desired…somewhere within himself, Ventus desired those same things, only it was hidden. Therefore, if Vanitas saw Aqua as…well…something beyond family, that meant somewhere inside, Ventus did as well. This understanding of his shadow self caused him pause, as he called up memories of the blue haired elder teenager.

"…she's like…five years older than us. I'll admit…she's pretty…beautiful even. And…kind…and selfless…"

"_**Too Light though."**_

"But that was because of Mas-…Because of Eraqus."

Despite practically raising the boy for a couple of years, Eraqus' betrayal, even if later on Ventus asked his friends to destroy him, still hurt. The bond that was made between them was frayed when Eraqus kept the truth from him, and was shattered when the man tried to not only kill him, but Terra as well. The man was horribly anti-darkness, fearing it so deeply that he sought its destruction. He despised it so much, he denied Terra the Mark of Mastery that should have been his.

Admittedly yes, Terra was headstrong, and held a desire for power. But Ventus knew _why_ he desired power. It was to _protect_. Light or Dark, as long as one's intentions are focused and channeled properly, corruption wouldn't come easily. And Ventus knew Terra had the strength to resist the corruption of Darkness.

Aqua, however…she had taken a little too well to Eraqus' teachings. Perhaps not as deeply as the man himself, but she too rather despised Darkness. Still…he had no doubt of her love and loyalty to her friends. All that would need doing, Ventus believed, was that she'd need to see the positive sides of Darkness.

"_**Maybe if we kicked her ass a little she'd start listening."**_

"She beat you twice."

"_**No, she beat me **__**once**__**. The first time we fought I was messing around. She didn't beat me, she held me off. There's a difference. The **__**second**__** time, you'd taken half my power from me. And she had backup from that damn rat."**_

"So you're saying you would have won if I didn't step in."

"_**Damn right I would have. Alright, I'll give her props where she's due, she's damn good. But come on. Even she wouldn't have been able to stand against concentrated Darkness combined with a Chaotic Weapon."**_

"Fair enough…I suppose."

"_**Either way, that damn thing is blinking like crazy. I think she's calling to you."**_

"Calling to _us_ you mean."

"_**Tch…whatever man…"**_

Ventus held the star shaped charm in his hand, clutching it tightly. He filled his mind with thoughts of Aqua, becoming surprised when he felt his other half doing the same.

"_**What. I want out of this place."**_

"Heh…good point."

And then before them, opened a swirling, pale blue gateway. Ventus reached up to his left shoulder, pressing hand to the piece of armor that acted like a trigger. In a flash of light, the young teen was clad in his personal sky blue and pale gold armor suit.

"_**Dude, you don't need that shit with me around."**_

"I know." Despite his face being completely covered by the honed helmet, and no opening for his mouth, his voice was not distorted or muffled in any way. "But she might be in trouble. Better to go in full force, right?"

"_**Tch…shit. Alright I'll give that to you. Just hurry the hell up and get us out of here. Fuckin hate this place."**_

* * *

"That was a new finisher wasn't it?" Came the voice of the man before him.

"Hn."

"Gotta say, for a User you're pretty good in the grid. Took out even more programs than Clu had me do before."

"It's just practice." Came the response.

"Did you get all the data you needed?"

"Yeah. Yeah I'm good."

"Good to hear. Actually, if you don't mind…some day I'd like to take you on."

The helmeted man shook his head, as Tron turned around, to look him in the eye.

"Sorry…can't do that unless you want to risk being derezzed. Sam and Kevin have gone back to their world with Quorra. I don't know how to fix you if I do terminal damage…and I've got no interest in running this place myself, currently."

Tron gave a small grin. "Pity. It would have been a good battle."

"Aye. Maybe some day, but no time soon."

"I take it you're going to head back now?"

"Yeah…spent enough time here. Everything I need works as it should. It's time I kept that promise I've been holding on to."

"Think she'll do ok?"

"She'll be fine. She's already strong in many ways…just need to put some refinement into her."

"And her…personal issue?"

"Dunno. It's up to her how to deal with that…either way, you'll get your princess."

"Do what you can. Take care now."

The helmet wearing man simply shrugged. "No promises."

* * *

A heavy flump resounded through the small clearing. The fluttering of cloth and gentle clinking of metal were not enough to disturb the creatures in the forest, however. The sounds came from two men, one clearly aged by time, grey peppering his black hair, a clump of it jagged and seemingly gelled to hang before his wrinkled face; the other young, brown hair styled in a vertical manner, but if one were to look from behind, they would see it fall in waves down to the base of his neck.

The both of them were weary from their journey. The younger one, clad in a simple black shirt with light tan hakama, the elder a series of white robes. They had been wandering for what felt like months, lost in this strange, never ending forest. The younger still had his Weapon of Heart's Light, his Keyblade, however, along with the various powers it granted him, save for his armor. The elder had lost his, both the one he inherited upon gaining the rank of Master, as well as the one from his own heart. However, even though the younger could still transform his Keyblade into what was known as the Keyblade Glider, and possibly transport them out of the forest at a rapid pace, the elder still feared the powerful Darkness of interworldly travel.

The elder had come to begin to accept the notion of Darkness not being the Enemy he had once believed. Though the younger had fought him while wielding its corruptive powers, not once had his pupil succumbed to it, contrary to his, at the time, misguided beliefs. Instead, the elder - though at the time still blinded by his fears and disdain for the power – had noted that his pupil did _not_ strike him down or lash out in anger. No, his pupil had wielded that corruptive force to _protect_, the way the elder had taught all his students to do, only with the power of Light. It was this shocking notion that jarred the elder from his views.

He had seen firsthand what the Darkness could do to someone, his once thought brother being proof. But then his student comes, with just as much raw power over it, and yet he _controlled_ it, and wielded it not out of some foolish notion, but a notion even he himself could admire. Though his student raised his Keyblade against him, his student did so to protect that which he cherished, something he was about to destroy. Yes…the x-blade was a fearsome and formidable power…but ridding the world of it at such a price…never did he believe the choice would be forced upon him, nor did he ever believe he would be forced to raise blades against his student outside of training.

He would now admit, he'd been blind. The idea of ridding the world of such a power was rather simple a concept. Destroy one of two pieces of the blade, and move on. But that power was contained within a _human_. Not only that but one that all had come to see as a family member. It hurt him to do so, but he was willing to strike the boy down and be done with it. But his blindness…his focus on the _threat_ that the boy represented had blinded him – if temporarily – to the bonds the boy had created. Like many before him, he failed to take into account the possibility that someone would learn of the boy's impending destruction, and _not care_ about his potential role as Worlds-ender, only care about the boy himself.

After all, if the boy could house the power to destroy, what would stop the boy from wielding that power to destroy that which threatened what he cared for, and _only_ that which threatened what he cared for? These thoughts did not ring through his mind until long after his 'demise' at the hands of his fellow Master.

He had been a fool. A fool so used to doing things a single way, that he had lost the _true_ understanding of what it meant to be a Master. He had become just like Xehanort, only on the opposite side. Where Xehanort wished to plunge the worlds into Darkness, he, Eraqus, had desired to bathe the worlds only in Light. If he were to be honest with himself, Terra truly held the signs of Mastery. When the Darkness stirred within him, during the battle between he and Aqua, he shunned its power, not allowing his desire for victory, for Mastery, to grow out of his control. To be completely fair and true, _that_ showed a better sign of Mastery than even Aqua did.

It took a great sign of character, and strength of will, to refute the addictive and corruptive force of the Darkness within. And Terra did so. If Eraqus were to put it in terms Ventus would use, it was as if the impending loss had caused the Darkness within Terra to awaken and go 'hey, need some help?' and in turn, Terra refuted. 'Nah. I got this.'

A small huff of amusement escaped him, drawing a look of perplexed look from his pupil for a moment. Eraqus decided to explain his thoughts to the younger man, drawing a small smile from the brown haired youth.

"That…actually _was_ kind of what it felt like. Like it was a friend tapping me on the shoulder and asking if I wanted its assistance."

"I made a mistake that day…I should have made you Master."

Terra shook his head. "No, Master. You were right. I've done…bad-

"I am aware of what you have done, Terra. But I also understand now…that my fears and disdain for the Darkness are what caused you to."

The brown haired man blinked in confusion. That didn't make sense.

"If I hadn't been so afraid, if I'd perhaps looked into the power of Darkness more, rather than taking what a single man had ended up showing me as proof of what it represented, you may have ended up more…balanced, in your training. You perhaps, would have had a greater understanding of the Darkness, where it came from, and what caused it to arise within the Heart. And through that, perhaps you would not have been so conflicted as to its nature, _your_ nature…and control would not have been so easily wrested from you."

Terra couldn't refute that. His greatest crime, the unlocking of Aurora's heart, was due to Maleficent tampering with the Darkness he held within his own. A darkness he shunned and ignored, pushing aside and suppressing. It was due to this, that she was able to manipulate that power within him, controlling his body against his will. That had shamed him forever.

"But when you defended Ventus from me, in my blindness, you wielded that very same power. Yet it was not to destroy, or crush your foe…it was merely wielded as an enhancement of self, to _protect_ what you cared for. And in the end, you were willing to make peace. That showed that _you_ controlled your power. No Terra…in my eyes, you have proven yourself worthy of being called a Master."

The brown haired man could only look on in surprise. It was humbling…and yet he felt honored. He was about to speak his feelings when suddenly a loud, agonized scream echoed through his ears. His eyes widened in shock and fear before he stood up suddenly, looking around.

"Terra? What bothers you?" The sudden shift confused and worried the elder man.

"You…you didn't hear that?"

The elder now cocked his head.

"I heard a scream just now. It…sounded…familiar."

"I heard nothing…but I _do_ see **that**."

Terra blinked, looking at his teacher in confusion, before looking down and noticing the yellow Wayfinder charm that Aqua had made, was now shimmering a soft blue.

"…something must be wrong with Aqua. I don't know what magic this is but it must have been _her_ scream I heard. Master-

"I understand Terra."

As if those were an incantation, the Wayfinder charm glowed fiercly, a beam of blue light shooting from it, flattening out into a vague, oval shape. It was a gateway…to where, neither man knew.

"Master…"

"We may have to rely on your power once again, my son. Do not worry for me. I will endure, as I have previously."

* * *

"Good. You're here."

Stood before them was Seth. Wearing his usual black leather vest ensemble…but for some reason the vest looked…fortified? It appeared thicker…stronger somehow. As if reinforced. All the Keyblade wielders currently on Radiant Garden had assembled. They were at a rocky crag that was very familiar to Sora. This was the site of his exhausting battle against one thousand emblem heartless attacking in a series of waves. He would know, Jiminy had counted.

"Seth…what's going on? Miri wouldn't tell us anything."

"You're here for a test, Kairi."

He didn't call her 'Red'. This was something serious then.

"A…test?"

"An assessment. The last time we fought, Naminé was running interference, giving you an unusual advantage. This time, you have no bridge to my mind, or my intentions. As well, it's been a while. You've gotten stronger. So it's time I tested you myself. To see what I need to teach you."

She blinked at him confused for a moment. And then it made sense.

"Wait…you're…going to train me finally? But…I thought you already did…or at least, used that loophole."

He shook his head, still not turning around. "No, I used the loophole to buy myself time. And the things you learned while I was training Yuffie were generalities. Things that all magical warriors should know. After this, depending on my assessment, I will decide what is left for me to _personally_ teach you."

"Ahh…I see. But what about the others? Why bring them?"

"They are to be Observers for this. They will watch the proceedings, both to learn for themselves, as well as to help you overcome any issues or failures of yours. I will not always be available, after all. Plus, the majority of them, if not all of them, are your friends. They will hopefully tell you the things that need to be said, should you find yourself unable to believe me."

The redhead nodded…but was a little worried. Why _now_ of all times? And why did he sound…unhappy? Sure, his 'sensei-mode' as Yuffie started calling it, had a serious tone to it, but it didn't feel so…empty. Like something was missing. With Yuffie, he clearly _enjoyed_ teaching her. Having her learn the ways of the Shinobi. And even when he branched out and oversaw a few pointers for Kairi herself and the others, he was still more enthusiastic about it. Now…he was just…blank. Or at least severely muted.

_**He is depressed.**_

_Why? He's been gone for two weeks since Miri…_

_**You don't understand…but I get the feeling you will soon enough. Just be careful.**_

_I…will?_

"I would request the others to stand aside. We will require room. And do not interfere. I will cut you down if you do."

Everyone blinked at the obvious threat. Riku bristled, readying a retort, but a hand on his shoulder from Roxas, whom was shaking his head, cut him off.

"Something's off here…" The blonde boy whispered. "Let's just see what happens, ok?"

Frowning, Riku nodded, as he and the others moved away. As that happened, Seth turned around, and Kairi had to stifle a gasp.

_His eyes…!_

_**Master…**_

Even from a small distance, Kairi remembered Seth's eyes. She loved his eyes, just as much as she loved Sora's. Both of them held their expressions. In Sora's case, it was like staring into the heart of the sky itself. With Seth, it was as if she was gazing into twin pools of chocolate, waiting to engulf her and challenge her to eat her way out of their depths. When he was angry, or irritated, flecks of red would appear just around the pupil, like shards of blood. But this…was different.

They were _dull_.

Even when he was sad, or unhappy before, they still held a glimmer of _hope_. But now…

_It's like he's given up…they're so lifeless…_

_**This is a problem…After all this time…we'd almost managed to get Master back to some semblance of contentment. But with Miri doing what she did…**_

_But she's still with him. Clearly he didn't consider it a betrayal if she's still with him._

_**Remember Ino. She betrayed him, and paid the price. But she restored her honor and station in his eyes. It's possible Miri has done something similar…**_

_Well…we'll just have to keep pushing…right? We won't give up. I didn't give up when Sora needed me, and I won't give up now._

_**Indeed? Hah…well…we'll see what happens I suppose.**_

Settling into her personal stance, legs spread, knees bent, left arm hanging to her side with her hand held loosely, she flicked her right arm out, flowery orange Keyblade appearing in hand. Seth just blinked, a ripple of air forming at _his_ right hand, his blood-red katana, the Kitetsu, appearing. Kairi blinked.

"Wh-wait! Seth. Draw your Keyblade. This won't be fair if you don't."

"I don't have it."

"Wh-what? No, you have one! What happened to the one you were using?"

_**Kairi!**_

Seth's eyes seemed to dull further.

"It was never mine to begin with."

Kairi blinked, confused.

_**It was Miri's, Kairi. For some reason, Seth held Miri's heart. The Keyblade he's been using was hers. Did you not understand this?**_

_What?! I…no…I thought…I thought he'd just let her borrow it…the same way I can borrow Sora's. I thought her Keyblade was the one from the Realm of Darkness!_

_**No Kairi. That is a misconception. You said it yourself, when you connected to that Primal Force. The Keyblade of a World belongs to that World, and is granted only to the one who embodies what that World is. Miri calls herself the keeper of the Black Heart. Whatever that means, it means that the Keyblade of the Realm of Darkness is granted to her, but she still holds her own.**_

_I…that's…that's not fair. That's not fair at all!_

_**No…no it isn't. I think this might be the source of Master's depression. After all this time…**_

_He thought he finally had his own Keyblade…and the ability to make changes in the world that comes with it. But like everything else…it's been ripped away from him. Even Sora would be depressed if that happened to him…and Sora's practically a bundle of happy most of the time._

"Come, Kairi. Allow me to taste your resolve." He stated blankly, settling into a stance unfamiliar to the others. His knees were bent, left leg slightly behind him, right leg in front. Both hands were wrapped around his blade, with the blade held in front of him, raised to be just off parallel to the ground.

Kairi just stared, before her eyes narrowed. She gripped her Keyblade tightly.

"Resolve isn't the only thing of mine that you're gonna taste."

* * *

If there was one thing she noted – upon the fifth time they clashed blades – was that he was slower than before. His movements still had a form of grace to them, a fluidity of one who had seen many battles…but he wasn't _as_ fluid. His attacks and defenses were less technical. He also wasn't _moving_ as much as he did with a Keyblade. This was Kairi's primary sole advantage over him. While she had yet to truly develop her own style of combat, she had adapted parts of styles from all the others she travelled with. Seth's primarily, due to their link.

As such, it was easy for her to notice that he wasn't using his usual combative tactics. His blade didn't seem to allow for them. It wasn't as flexible as a Keyblade. As well, he wasn't throwing the gravitational pulses that she was expecting. Combine with that she felt no anchoring field around him, his usual distortion to throw off his opponent's movements and thoughts, she was puzzled. She went into the fight thinking he would battle a certain way, and instead was getting something completely different. This was what _negated_ her sole advantage.

He was more straight-forward. More _forceful_ in his swings. They were still focused. Still quick and dangerous, but they held more _power_ in them. Considering she'd never truly seen him take his blade out for _real_ combat, she had no frame of reference for this style. He was fighting her in a way that was completely contrary to the method she was anticipating. And even the Master Form she had chosen, after the third clash, wasn't doing enough. Though his movements weren't as instant as prior, he was still easily able to block her attacks, if not outright evade.

_**He must be using his powers solely on himself, to compensate for the weight, reach and lack of flexibility in his blade.**_

Kairi gave a mental pulse shaped as a nod, as she ducked under a high arced kick aimed at her head. Unfortunately for her, he'd planted his right foot into the ground and lashed out with a backwards kick, catching her in the nose. A small pulse echoed off of his boot and she was thrown backward.

_**Or…not.**_

_Tch, this isn't working…need to fight him at range then._

The Master Form, gained during the two weeks after the attack on Radiant Garden, allowed Kairi intimate control over two Keyblades. It combined the dual wielding trait of the Valor Form, with the magical prowess of the Wisdom Form. However, like all power, it came at a price. Her spells were boosted, much like Wisdom, and her physical attacks were altered, like Valor, but the boosts weren't _as_ significant as either single state. As well, she lost the slight hovering ability of Wisdom form, as well as the movement speed increase of Valor. In their place, she gained the ability to manipulate her offhand Keyblade with her mind, almost like telekinesis. As well, her leaps and bounds launched her higher. But she lost the projectile firing ability of Wisdom form, which on its own could be a useful skill.

So though it was useful as a combination, even Sora admit that it wasn't as useful in single focused areas as the other two. Thus, Kairi triggered her Driver, as her left hand began to glow.

_**Wisdom Form**_

Where Master Form had her wearing a tight yellow tracksuit underneath a black leather jacket and a small pair of high-heeled leather boots, Wisdom Form returned her to a neutral state, before implanting her in what Sora called her "sexy witch look". Holding her Keyblade forward, she twitched her finger, as if shooting a gun. From the tip of her Keyblade, launched a series of energy pellets.

Seth merely stood straighter, gripping his weapon tightly.

* * *

"Ok…whatever he's doing, it's cool looking."

The Keybearers were watching the fight carefully. They took his warning to heart, noting something was _off_ about him. They watched Kairi on the attack, on the defense…and yet she landed no strikes at all. Though he was obviously less fluid with the Kitetsu, he'd still been able to match her, move for move. It was obvious he wasn't using his sublimation field either. But after having seen him fight and kill Yuffie, they all knew why. But now, Kairi had entered Wisdom Form, and had sent a barrage of energy bolts towards her would-be trainer.

And missed. Barely.

"It's called 'grazing'." Naminé answered Roxas' unspoken question.

"Grazing?" He turned his head to his fellow blonde.

"It's a high-level evasion technique that doesn't look like an evasion at all. What it is, is the user calculates the trajectory and radius of incoming projectile attacks, and just _barely_ make the slightest of movements out of the way. This conserves energy, as well as plays a bit of a mind-game with whoever's attacking you. It's dangerous though. The slightest mistake will have you getting hit, possibly in a vital area. Not only that, but you have to _know_ your opponents attacks. Some projectiles expand or scatter after a set timeframe."

"Which means you'll get caught." Roxas concluded.

"Exactly. Kairi's at a disadvantage here. I learned the trick from Seth, after snatching some of his battle tactics. Wisdom Form's projectiles don't have any expansive properties. They all follow a straight line upon release. Even with Kairi doing what she's doing, he's just going to keep grazing."

What Naminé was referring to, was how Kairi was now shooting different patterns of energy projectiles. Webs, streams, random shapes consisting of many 'bullets'…but none of them mattered. Due to physics, eventually the shapes would spread just enough for him to dodge. He didn't block a single one, just simply edged out of the way. A lifted arm here, a slight shifting of the torso there, bending of the knees to duck underneath just barely, a tilt of the head…minor, simple movements, each one as he stepped closer and closer to the Keyblade Princess.

But it seemed Kairi had enough, for she began throwing in actual elemental spells with the mix.

"It's all internal." Ino suddenly spoke up, surprising the group.

As per her usual, she spent most of the fight being silent, merely _watching_ Seth and his movements.

"What is?" Sora asked.

"His Gravity manipulations. It's all internal. The sublimation field is active, it's just focused inward. You can see it in his movements. He's manipulating his personal field to have full control over all forms of his momentum." She claimed.

Once made aware of it, Aqua had to admit, now she could see it. There was a slight, _very_ slight, blur around him. A very soft, almost unnoticeable haze. Much unlike the ones that popped up when he was enraged, this one seemed very soft, very tightly controlled.

"Yes…she's right. It's hard to see but there's a very faint shimmer around him. Not enough to veil his movements but just barely visible enough to show he's doing something." Aqua confirmed.

"His sword isn't as flexible as a Keyblade. That's its downside. It is obviously made for quick, precise, single strikes. Not extended combat. An assassin's weapon. To kill quickly and surely. You can tell by the single edge on it. He has to keep the sharp edge towards his foe. It takes barely a second, but he has to twist the sword around before he can reverse its swing, even with him most likely lightening its weight." Ino continued.

Roxas whistled. "Since when did you become an expert in fighting?"

"Since Seth downloaded the combat data of thirteen different people and their fighting methods and knowledge into me. He's…basically turned me into a very formidable force, I'll admit. I just need…practice. Time really…to refine what I know. But you can see it in his movements, if you know what to look for. He's focused. Every swing has to have purpose, even if it doesn't connect. Just look. He's completely invalidated Kairi's range advantage."

And it was true. While Ino was speaking her speculations, Seth had slid within Kairi's guard, nullifying her ranged capabilities. Kairi was at a major disadvantage. Being so heavily Light aligned, her most easy to cast and powerful spells were either of the Light element – of which she only knew one, that being Reflect – and its components: fire and wind. Water and Earth based spells were less effective, less controllable by her. And even then, the spells she knew were just that: spells. She didn't completely know how to manipulate the elements, or even perform pseudo versions of it, the way Seth could naturally.

Due to this, Seth had grazed her projectiles and evaded her spells with swift movements, and now was attacking her head-on. Kairi was just barely dodging his swings, even though they were _still_ slower than what she was used to, the force in them was greater, as if to offset.

And then…something different happened.

* * *

_**MOVE!**_

Nu's voice screamed inside Kairi's mind, as Seth's hands seemed to clench around his blade.

"_**Yon no Tachi: Kagero."**_

Just as Kairi jumped backwards, Seth suddenly lurched forwards, an unusual red glow around his blade, bringing it straight down. The blade slammed into the ground with great force, and the moment it did so, a _pillar of flame_ erupted from where the tip met stone. Kairi had just _barely_ evaded the flames, but was still thrown off balance by the sudden appearance of the elemental attack, as well as the searing wall of heat that washed over her.

The others gawked at the sudden shift in attack. And then Ino spotted it. His whole body had a very faint glow about it.

And she knew Kairi was in for a world of hurt.

Kairi was stunned. She was in total shock that suddenly Seth had pulled out an elemental based attack. He didn't have the aura that signified he was tapping the pact he held with Tiamat. There was no Materia usage…so what…the hell did he just do?

So surprised was she, she didn't register his rapid approach until it was too late. And by that point…she felt _cold_.

"_**Shichi no Tachi: Yukikaze."**_

A pale blue glow surrounded his katana, as he thrust forward. He struck Kairi dead on, but so wrapped in cold frost was his blade, it didn't so much pierce her flesh, as suddenly manifest a massive spiked icicle upon her. Just as the pain began to hit, he suddenly held his blade down, pointed to his left hip, twisting his body as if he were to spin.

"_**Hachi no Tachi: Gekkou."**_

And spin he did. Only he did a single revolution, slicing diagonally upward as he twisted, shattering the ice. And then something _weird_ happened.

The moment the small fragments of ice dissipated, what appeared to be a series of glowing blue pyramid shapes formed around Kairi's body, rotating around her in a counter-clockwise motion, before they exploded outwards with a loud shattering noise.

Kairi's body locked up from the pain, as well as shock and confusion as to what just friggin happened to her…but Seth wasn't done. He pulled his sword to his side, as if sliding it in an invisible sheath.

"_**Kyuu no Tachi: Kassha."**_

As if summoned by his words, the slightly transparent image of a pink petaled, rotating flower in bloom formed superimposed around Kairi's body, which Seth then performed a rapid, iaito-style slash causing it to burst and scatter its petals into the air where they faded.

And then suddenly a brilliant orb of **Light** appeared above Kairi, growing and shining until it detonated with a loud, holistic sounding explosion, throwing the girl backward.

* * *

"What…the hell…"

Riku couldn't finish his sentence. He was stunned. They were _all_ stunned.

But Ino…Ino saw something.

"Before…each move…there was a flare…of some sort of field around him. As if he were drawing from something…or something was powering those moves. They were all him…though…the field gave off the same feeling as he does. But…"

Even _she_ was confused as to what the hell those odd occurrences were, in between and after his attacks. What was up with those weird triangle things? And why did suddenly a ball of _light_ appear and blow up in Kairi's face?

* * *

_Nu, explanation. NOW!_

_**Ok…ok…from what I remember…that was…that was a Skillchain. A Skillchain is what happens when properly aligned attacks connect…but…that's due to an uncertain type of resonance reaction that goes on with each strike. Skillchains are formed of…uhh…Weapon…skills. Yes. Weaponskills. Which are focused power attacks channeled through an individual class of weaponry.**_

_Ok that's nice and all but what does that __**mean**__?!_

_**It means Master is very much capable of killing you with ease right now. Weaponskills are deadly techniques, unique to each weapon style. The attacks he uses…are…afforded to those who use katanas of over two feet in length. His Kitetsu is about two and a half, so he's just in range to use them.**_

While Nu was explaining, Kairi found herself under attack once again. She was still on the defensive, the magical projectiles she fired from her Keyblade doing absolutely nothing to slow Seth down at all.

_**Weaponskills…take time to build up towards. They take focus, drive, and confidence to land.**_

_Then why'd he pull four in a row?!_

_**Uhh…that's…because…Meikyo Shisui.**_

_Whating what?_

_**It's…a meditative technique. To draw forth the full power of the self, and release it in timed intervals. Master…he had to perfect the technique before he was allowed the ability to wield the Kitetsu…**_

_And that's what let him do that crazy crap?_

_**Yes…through the use of Meikyo Shisui…or another meditative technique, Sekkanoki, the wielder can better focus the energies of the mind and body, to expend less in one attack. Through these techniques it's possible to perform multiple Weaponskills…which allow the attacker to do what's called a 'self-Skillchain'.**_

Kairi ducked under a wide horizontal swing, before leaping back, spraying pellets everywhere to try to buy herself time.

_And you're saying he did that. Can he do it again?_

_**Sekkanoki…within the next few minutes, probably. Performing it is simple and usually instant, but there's a form of…mental cooldown time. It takes a little bit to be able to reconfigure the mind to do it again. Meikyo Shisui…not for a good while. That particular technique puts a fair amount of strain on the mind, even though you're calm during it. Theoretically…Master could probably do it again…but…it wouldn't be good for him at all.**_

_Can you give me a better timeframe?_

_**Normally…a user of Sekkanoki takes five minutes in between uses. And they can hold it for about a minute without using a Weaponskill. But…Midori-sensei didn't let him have that time. He's on a three minute timer…and he can hold it for about two. And his Meikyo Shisui lasts for a minute, or until he gives all three bursts…and can be used without issue, within an hour.**_

_And how long has it been?_

_**About a minute.**_

_And he can't use that…big ball boom thing?_

_**Uhh…no promises?**_

_Fuck._

* * *

In an attempt to prevent any incoming Skillchains, Kairi dropped Wisdom Form and rushed straight at Seth. Their blades locked frequently, both swinging and swiping, thrusting and stabbing, but neither really gaining ground on the other. Kairi was trying to hold back panic. Yes, this was a training session, but since he didn't have a Keyblade there was no magical dulling of weaponry. She was up against a legitimate sword that could easily chop her entire body in pieces. She'd long since understood that the Kitetsu was a blade to _kill_ with. To _dismember_ with. Not one to subdue.

It was a weapon designed to stand up to the Keyblade as best it could, and what better way to silence a Keyblade than to _kill_ its bearer?

She had to be careful. Each maneuver had to be specially made. Though her weapon was far more flexible than his was, she still couldn't afford any more mistakes. It was hard enough focusing her mind to heal the wounds created from the **Light** skillchain…

Seth, however, had slipped back into the old mindset he once survived by: how to defeat a Keyblade bearer with a 'normal' weapon.

_Duck back beneath horizontal swing. Bladepoint down, rise up. Clash. Step right, crouch-twist-kick. Bladepoint down, thrust forward. Twist left, swing down. Clash. Short-hop. Kick forward. Focus._

Kairi's guard was opened up, and she was knocked away from his thrust kick. She regained her balance just in time for him to come close, blade at his left hip.

_Hah, I know this one. Just jump back and-_

_**Wait…oh shit Ka-**_

"_**Juusan no Tachi: Fudo."**_

He slashed, missing Kairi, as she'd hopped back.

***SPLORCH***

And then a heavy gash appeared just above her navel, blood and cloth going flying as a thin line tore itself out of her flesh, the girl being thrown backward, landing heavily on her back.

She couldn't scream, or cry. She just barely gasped, the pain being so sudden that all her senses were dulled.

_**Kairi you stupid fuck! Move your ass! Push through it and activate that damn belt of yours! Come on you ginger twat! Don't you dare fuck this up and get us killed!**_

Slowly, though each iota of movement caused immense pain that was only _barely_ being dulled by Nu's rantings to distract and motivate her; Kairi reached down, past the gaping, bleeding wound, to activate the Driver. Hand glowing, teeth grit, she passed her palm over its core.

_**Valor Form**_

After the flare of crimson light, both minds sighed in relief. The Driver mimicked the conversion process _perfectly_.

For Sora, every time he activated a Drive Form, his physical and mental status was restored to peak performance. This was due to him wielding the conceptual life-energy of the ally he bonded with to bring out the form. Their energies merged with his, temporarily, and thus restored him to full strength. Kairi's driver inadvertently did the same thing.

…_I have to give it to him…he really knows how to make useful things…_

_**Master is more adept at Destruction rather than creation…but even he can Create if need be. And his Creations tend to be very stable. Now get up and fight. It's not over yet.**_

_No…it's not._

She pulled her legs back and flipped up, twin flares of light forming into Keyblades in both hands.

"We're not done yet."

* * *

"That…was too close…" Aqua muttered. The moment Kairi's blood went flying, Aqua had to restrain Riku – and herself – from racing towards Kairi. Sora was being held back by Roxas, whom kept a firm hand on the brunette teen's shoulder.

"She should have blocked. Always block, or dodge up or down. Never jump back with an iai slash, or a thrust stab unless you're in a deadlock with someone." Ino spoke.

"Because…you never know what extra effects might be following…right?" Naminé inquired.

"Yes. Especially with any form of magical warrior. So many things can be laced in attacks. Electricity in your fists to scramble someone's nervous system with each punch, creating a burning pain as well as possible locking of the muscles so they can't defend as well, if at all…wind around your sword to give it an even sharper edge…darkness with every swing to veil the true shape of your attacks…against magical warriors you _need_ to be careful."

"But she recovered." Roxas said. "That's all that matters…right?"

Ino shook her head. "No…she took a hit that _should_ have been fatal. It's only because Seth is holding back that she wasn't cut clean in half. At least by blocking she would have reduced the damage by a fair amount. She's lucky…very lucky."

They could only hope that Seth called an end to the fight, or that Kairi's luck continued to hold.

* * *

"So this place…holds an entire world within it?"

While the others were having their oh-so super-secret Keyblade training, Alicia had spent the day with the girls of the Restoration Committee. Aerith had the thought to teach her some of the more common things that existed in the world, to bring the younger woman from a world that resembled the middle ages, up to speed on certain technologies and devices. At the moment, the three were teaching her what they knew about computers.

"In this case…apparently. We aren't entirely certain how The Grid came to be. It was apparently a remnant from a _different_ world, if Ansem's and Xehanort's notes are to be believed."

Alicia gave an absent nod, while she looked at the strange rectangular box. "And this too is a…computer?"

"Yep. One of the most advanced." Yuffie answered, chipper.

"And it holds…data…like all the others?"

Nods in return.

"How interesting…and computers are basically interactive books, you say?"

"Well…it's a bit more complicated than that, but…for the most part, yeah." Tifa spoke sheepishly.

"Amazing…this technology of yours…the closest we got to it was runic configurations but even _those_ didn't get so complex that you could store endless amounts of information within one…" She said with awe. "To think that human progress could go so far…are books not obsolete here? I saw many at that Mage's home."

"Oh books are still very, very much needed. It takes time, and preparation to make one of these. Moreso than a book where you can just write what you want on a bunch of pieces of paper. The inside of a computer is very much like a human body when you think about it. Simple, as a whole, but complex in pieces. Everything has to be put in the right place in order for it to work." Aerith stated sagely.

"I see…so books themselves are not obsolete…merely an alternative…so you do not use magic to power these devices?"

The other three looked to one another.

"Not…really?" Tifa offered.

"You said it runs off of electricity. How is that possible without a runic cluster? Or capturing some level of elemental?"

"We have entire buildings dedicated to generating electricity without magic. I can't really say _how_ they all work, considering I didn't make them, nor have I really researched much into them, but some of them power entire towns by drawing from the wind, others use waterways to do it, and still others store electricity by setting up lightning rods, or even specifically designed panels to draw and house the light from the sun." Aerith spoke.

"Amazing…and not an ounce of magic is used? I would very much like to see one of these buildings. I know we have water wheels to power mills, but I didn't realize if we had the right application we could generate electricity with it…"

"Well…maybe tomorrow we can shUURRGH!" Aerith was cut off as she suddenly buckled over, as if being punched in the stomach. Alicia blinked wildly, snapping out of her trance to see the brunette woman in pink clutching her chest, gasping for air.

"Whoa, Aerith what-

"huuaaaaHHH!" ***splat***

To everyone's further surprise, she winced heavily and then vomited.

Blood.

And not a moment after, the ground began to vibrate, a low growling rumble echoing in their ears.

Yuffie was already powering a Cure Materia, focusing its energies to Aerith, trying to soothe the woman's aches and perhaps repair whatever had torn open inside her that caused her to start puking _blood_ of all things.

"What the hell…is going on?"

"Th…the world…" Aerith spoke, coughing at the horrible taste in her mouth. "Is…screaming…"

* * *

**_Kairi..._**_**what…did you just do.**_

It happened suddenly. She was on the offensive. Keeping him blocking. Keeping him pressured. Every time he tried to exploit an opening, she was already moving to correct it. Nobody had seen her this aggressive before. He'd even taken to pulling the phantom blade out on occasion. But she'd seen how it was done. He had to grip it in a certain way with his off-hand in order to call it out. So she led him in a series of blocks and counters.

And then finally, after a frustrating two minutes of playing a dangerous game of chicken with his sword, she struck. He'd swung overhead, two-handed, to try to force her to block and be imbalanced. Instead, she stepped _forward_, into his range, swinging her left Keyblade out, teeth facing front. To _everyone's_ surprise, she'd overpowered _his_ power-blow, slapping it aside. The sudden jarring of his arms caused him to be wide open, where she thrust forward with her primary Keyblade, and struck home.

Right in his chest.

The adrenalin wore off, she stared in growing horror as his body seemed to slowly fade and fragment. His arms dropped loosely to his sides, eyes slowly becoming blank, as pearls of pale golden light wafted off of him. She stood frozen in shock as he faded into wisps of light, the wisps themselves gathering into one space in front of her, at the tip of her Keyblade.

Before forming a heart.

The others were silent, gaping.

The heart gently coasted backward, releasing a soft pulse that went unnoticed. The force was like a gentle wind, barely discernible from the natural flows of the earth.

The second pulse was more noticeable. A weak but definite ripple of air flowed off of the glowing shape. But what got everyone's attention wasn't the pulse, but the fact that a black and white shape suddenly _ripped_ from the 'back' of the Heart, crashing into the ground and tumbling across the dirt. The fact that suddenly _Miri_ was ejected from what had to have been Seth's heart, suddenly put everyone on edge. Worse, was when she stared, wide-eyed at the glowing, pulsing object, and _vanished into a Dark Corridor._

And then the rumbling started.

* * *

"Oh what the Me is going on now?!"

_**It's started.**_

"What has started?!"

_**I was wondering how long this would take…he's been dealing with Keyblade wielders. It was only a matter of time…**_

"Yeah sure ignore the big guy standing here with you in his head."

_**The world is reacting, Hades.**_

"No really? I never would have guessed. Good thing I'm not the God of Obviousness."

_**Indeed. The world is reacting…no…**__**all**__** worlds are reacting to him.**_

"Right, figured that out already."

_**It is because he has finally Awakened.**_

"…come again?"

_**It took long enough to happen…especially after having been pushed so far. But until now, nobody completed the required setup. But now it has. And now he has finally Awakened as to what he was before he was found. He has woke prematurely…after all…so it is not too surprising it took this long for him to return to his initial state…nothing went the way we planned…**_

"What plan. What in My name is going on here?! Why does this crap keep **HAPPENING?!"**

_**One would expect the world to know its Father, Hades.**_

"Well du-…wait."

The Lord of the Dead paused. Completely.

"did you just say…father?"

_**Know this, Hades. You exist, because of him. Every life in this vast universe exists as it is now, because of him. All worlds are reacting to the fact that their Father has finally Awoken. They are afraid, for they knew what happened to his world, and fear it happening to them.**_

"What…are you on about?"

_**There is a powerful capability wielded by Keyblades known as an Innate Bounded Field. Also called a Reality Marble, it is a power that reflects the will of the wielder's heart. All the worlds fear his Marble. They fear what he has become. He is become Death, Destroyer of Worlds. The force of Power to return all to Nothing.**_

"What…is it called?"

_**The Marble? Well, this one was called Dead Earth Ceremony.**_

"The Destroyer!" Could this have been what Zeus was talking about?

_**Oh. That.**_

"Yes. _That._"

_**It held many names. Scion of Chaos. Warrior of Tiamat. Destroyer of All. Returner to Nothing. Harbinger of the End…but ultimately…we called it…**_

**Kingdom Hearts Re: Order**

**Chapter XIV: **_**Zero**_

Before them stood a dark skinned, shirtless male. Dark grey hakama pants was all that covered him. On his chest, and unseen on his back, were tribal-like tattoos; would-be seals, were what most thought. Hair of snow white flowed in the waves of power that came off of him, seeming as if the tips were fraying an dissipating in the wind, like flickering flame. This hardened, chiseled looking _god_ of a man stood before them, floating slightly over the indented ground caused by the wave of pressure-force that erupted from Seth's glowing Heart, following Miri's sudden vanishing act.

Kairi breathed a sigh of relief, not registering the fact that despite her eyes, **she could not sense him before her.**

"Oh my god…Seth I am so sorry! Thank Tia you-

A ripple of air.

Seth's form vanished in the blink of an eye.

A spray of blood.

Kairi was buckled over, an _arm sticking out of her back, blood flowing freely._

…_**Mas…ter…?**_

It wasn't until she rose her head, pain lancing through her body, did she realize his eyes were a **blank, emotionless grey.**

This realization came as her vision flickered and began fading, body slowly shutting down. But even as she slipped into the embrace of unconsciousness…something rang through her ears.

The growing sound of an organ.

**(BGM: Ar Tonelico III: chmod b111000000n)**

* * *

_**Ma num ra gyusya yor**_

_**en valwa getrra spiritum,**_

_**denera walasye**_

* * *

Casually, uncaringly, the chiseled man flicked his arm to the side, Kairi's bleeding body thrown unceremoniously away from him. The others were frozen.

"I…I can't sense him…I can't sense him at all…I know he's in front of me…but it's like…like **nothing** is there!" Ino muttered frantically to herself.

Outside of Kairi, Ino was proud of the notion she could generally sense Seth's existence and location. She thought perhaps it was a side effect of the way she was restored to existence, but to her it didn't matter. She would know where he was, for the most part. But now…now it was like _nothing_ was in front of her. An empty space, devoid of all life or motion of any sort.

But while she couldn't feel him. She could _see_ him. And she saw that his left arm was raised, fingers arced as if holding something. And she _saw_ the sparks of black race along his fingertips, culminating just in front of his palm. She could _see_ the waves of pressure folding inward, coming together to form a light-absorbingly black sphere that buckled and crackled violently. And she _knew_ that if Kairi wasn't already dead, the princess _would_ be from whatever he was about to do.

Thus, being the only one to _barely_ hold on to their wits, despite the haunting, foreign words being sung through the ether, words that the others were just _now_ beginning to react to, words that clearly meant that there was some level of Reality Marble in play; she was the only one to _act_.

* * *

_**Was yea ra chs gatyunla**_

_**yorr na naja here,**_

_**rete hueaf dsier**_

_**yorr gauzewiga**_

* * *

With a loud **THOOM **the strange sphere launched from the palm of his hand. Seconds before the scarily fast moving projectile would connect with Kairi's body, Ino's form flickered into place, wrapping her arms around it and leaping away. As a massive **BOOM** went off as the sphere dug into, and then detonated within a small rocky outcropping, Ino breathed a sigh of relief.

Until she felt a soft wave of pressure wash over her.

Eyes widening, Ino whirled around, calling up a field of bent space, only to flinch in shock as a hand lashed out and wrapped itself around her face. Her hands went up reflexively, grasping onto the arm that held her, sending will to her palms, wishing flame to engulf them.

But nothing happened.

A loud, gutwrenching scream of pure rage and hatred echoed through everyone's ears as of all things, unseen yet felt by Ino, a **Keyblade** formed. It had a triangular based tip with two open holes in the center like someone poked small slits out of an arrow-head. In fact, the Keyblade itself looked like it was one gigantic arrow, the hilt and handguard being shaped like that of an arrow's tail. The Keyblade was colored a dark brown, like freshly turned dirt, with streaks of golden yellow outlining the arrow-headed tip, green, angled lines pulsing along the sides of the golden inner shaft, resembling leafy branches of a long tree.

The moment that Keyblade appeared, Ino _knew_ there was something **wrong** going on.

The Keyblade…felt like **death**.

She could not act on her findings, as suddenly the pressure on her skull intensified. She vaguely heard a loud **CRACK** before her vision began turning black, the girl barely registering a soft discharge of Dark Energy somewhere behind her, as all her senses faded.

* * *

_**Was yea ra wael yorr zash,**_

_**werlwe netvear,**_

_**gyaje guatrz gyas**_

_**ween fayra**_

* * *

A pulse of will. A ripple of air ripped from his hand, engulfing her body, **shattering it** as the wave passed through her. They watched as Ino's very body was completely **erased** from a single crushing motion, the ground beneath him splintering with a loud **CRUNCH**. Only one noticed the difference though, as Sora, Riku and Roxas raced for Seth, rage clouding their view.

Kairi's body was missing…faint wisps of black mist dissipating from where her crumpled, broken form once lay.

Coming out of her shock, and trying to figure out what all this meant, Aqua held back, watching.

And gasped, as upon Riku reaching Seth, swinging his blade at the young man's unprotected back, a **second** Keyblade materialized in a burst of black fire. Having a rounded handguard with sharp looking wicked spikes this black, blood red, and fiery orange colored Keyblade seemed to be made of entwining designs, curling at the tip into a spiral, the upper ridges of the spiral being lined by the same spikes on the hilt, leading to the tip. The underside was left bare. This Keyblade gave the feeling of the sun, and flared with a pulse of black, before flicking out and repelling Riku.

Seth then vanished again, evading Sora's overhead swing in a ripple of air. He appeared behind Riku, who fired off a salvo of dark blue flames. The so-called Dark Firaga seemed to race for Seth, only to have Riku blink in surprise as the fireballs suddenly fly to the sides of his target.

Before they slingshot around him and rocketed right back at Riku himself, at twice the speed. Blanching at the sight, Riku called up his defensive field, watching his attack disperse on it, only to be blown back by a suddenly appearing Seth, swinging his Keyblade in a heavy left-to-right arc. Riku flipped in the air and landed skidding on his feet, only to freeze as suddenly Seth was **right in front of him**. In the moment it took for Riku to re-boot his mind at the constant disappearing act – _wasn't that something he only did once or twice before?! It seemed like he didn't know how to control that ability!_ – Riku noticed both of Seth's eyes turning a blood red, three strange comma marks appearing in both, which seemed to spiral around the pupil, before fusing together in what looked like a pinwheel shape.

Riku had a brief moment to register **that was Nu's eye** before he screamed in agony, not noticing the Keyblade floating behind Seth's left shoulder flare black, as he was suddenly engulfed in black flames.

* * *

_**Rrha ki ra chs et bister**_

_**eta meso omnis,**_

_**ruinie cupla**_

_**getrra denera.**_

* * *

Seemingly satisfied that his target would burn to death, Seth turned around, reaching out with his empty hand, **a third Keyblade materializing in it**. This one was black and grey, shaped much like the one he was wielding before. The hilt and handguard seemed to form what looked like a human skull, the shaft being flat and leading into a sharp, angled hook. Only unlike his, revealed to be Miri's Keyblade, this one had _three more_ hooks along the shaft. They were smaller, and looked like the fangs of a predator. Clearly, he summoned this Keyblade to block Sora's incoming attack.

Neither of them noticed the curtain of black engulf Riku's burning form, pulling him into its depths.

* * *

_**Rrha ki ra chs waath ciel,**_

_**pak celetille frawr,**_

_**li mea meo**_

_**en kil yorr**_

* * *

Sora was thrown back by a wall of force that erupted from Seth's body. He had no time to think as suddenly the white-haired man was on him, swinging both Keyblades in a methodical manner, keeping Sora at bay with obviously calculated, swift, assured strikes. Sora ducked, weaved, blocked and tried to parry but was knocked for a loop as the third Keyblade, acting like some manner of wing, lashed up and forward, blowing him off his guard. The sudden maneuver caused Sora to falter, which was more than enough of an opening for the arrow-tipped Keyblade to pierce his chest.

He had all of a moment to register a soft pain, before his body **shattered into wisps of light.**

* * *

_**Rrha wol ga**_

_**rana boh heath**_

_**viega sosar,**_

_**colga**_

_**gatyunla**_

_**dhezeall**_

_**yehah**_

* * *

Roxas came down hard, face turned into an angry snarl, teeth bared as he pressed his full weight onto Seth's defenses. When Seth effortlessly pushed him away, the blonde boy flipped backward, landing on his feet and rocketing forward again, intent on tearing Seth to shreds for what he did to Ino. So angry was he, he didn't notice Seth let go of his left-hand Keyblade, only for it to rise up and take place above his right shoulder, a **fourth **Keyblade materializing in his left hand.

This one was shaped very similarly to the Kingdom Key, the shaft being a reflective metallic silver, and rounded. On the side that could be seen, was the outline of an infinity symbol imposed into its teeth, a series of roman numerals counting upwards from the number one to the number six just before the shaft met the handguard. The handguard was black and rounded, resembling the face of a clock, with roman numerals one to twelve, positioned as they would be on a time-keeper, impressed upon the face.

The Keyblade gave off a faint glow, upon Roxas' approach. He swung his blades in a cross…

Only to hit nothing.

And then pain hit him.

And suddenly he was in the air, suspended by four Keyblades impaling him at once.

Before his body shattered into light.

The four Keyblades flew back to Seth's hands, the new silver one and the firey looking black one taking place over his left and right shoulders respectively.

"HENSHIN!"

_**Limit Form**_

**Attack Ride: **_**Strike Raid**_

Six rapidly spinning Keyblade shapes formed out of pure light appeared above Naminé, who had seen enough. They all rocketed one after another towards Seth, who simply let go of the two Keyblades he was holding, as the other two at his back began to revolve around him. In moments, he began to float above the ground, all four Keyblades rapidly revolving around him, deflecting the six incoming attacks. Naminé had to blink at that, not expecting such a defense.

Then, the revolutions abruptly stopped, before all four spun in place like saws, ripping towards the blonde girl.

**Attack Ride: **_**Stun Impact**_

Mere seconds before she was cut down, she let loose a scream of rage and frustration, releasing a wave of orange-red power that blocked all four Keyblades, before they faded into wisps. Seth landed on the ground, reclaiming his Keyblades.

**Attack Ride:**

Naminé jumped up, pulling her Keyblade to the side, as if mimicking one of Seth's earlier stances.

_**Zantetsuken**_

Seth merely gazed passively into her eyes as the girl swung with all her might.

And then she was blown backward, transformation shattering around her, impacting the ground heavily and coughing out a mouthful of blood; unconscious the moment she hit the ground. Seth appeared in a ripple of air, right-hand Keyblade posed to impale her through the chest, when he was forced to swing his left, hooked blade up to deflect an incoming Keyblade. His eyes gazed upon the visage of Aqua, clad in her armor, her sea-blue Keyblade returning to her hand.

She was ready to fight.

Yet neither of them noticed that the two glowing hearts of Sora and Roxas had fallen into black gateways.

* * *

_**Rrha ki ra**_

_**chs nosaash,**_

_**en yorr gat**_

_**gyajlee,**_

_**colga**_

_**gatyunla**_

_**dhezeall**_

_**yehah**_

* * *

_He's killed all of them…and even with my armor…I…_

Her armor was cracked badly in many places. Her body was shuddering, from a combination of fear, exhaustion and anger. He was _too powerful_! This was the first time she'd clashed blades with him but…

There was something _missing_.

Where was the _malice?_ Where was the _intent_ in his swings? The way he fought was brutal, effective, _deadly_ but it was as if someone, or some_thing_ had drained all the **emotion** out of him! Like this was just…_business._ Like it didn't matter. The constant rumbling of the ground didn't help either. And the strange words being sung over that music…

She remembered that Ino had said that some Reality Marbles played music as a sort of connecting bridge between the wielder's will and the area of effect. But she couldn't understand what was being sung at all. But it felt…_dangerous_. Like it was condemning her…everyone that heard it…to a painful end. One that was without malice or hate…just…inevitable destruction.

And fighting him now…it truly felt like that was where her existence was headed.

None of her magic worked. It would either be broken after she cast it, or launched back at her with twice the force. Her swings did nothing, even changing to the Master Keeper couldn't do anything.

She could do nothing but buckle as suddenly his foot had found itself buried in her stomach, the armor around that area **shredding** to pieces upon impact. She was blown back, but landed on her feet somehow.

Only to scream as now that black orb from before had embedded itself in her chest.

She thrashed and flailed as she was lifted off the ground, the pressure from the orb tearing at her body, threatening to completely erase her. She didn't feel the cold embrace of the sudden gateway that opened behind her, the orb engulfing her body and hiding it from view even as Seth watched dispassionately as it slammed into the Cliffside before detonating violently.

* * *

_**iu koto no kashikoki yomichi yomiji**_

_**karehatsu chi sobofuru wa kurenai no namida ka**_

* * *

There were none left.

Good.

He must have missed them before.

The fact that he was still alive must have meant there were more…but now…now they were gone.

He could sense no more of them. A few potentials, yes…but they were faint…no…with him having erased the current holders…yes…it was over now.

They couldn't spread the plague any further. It would end with him…the way it was supposed to.

His job was done…

Now…he could finally rest.

* * *

**A/N: **A world-endlingly powerful force. Next chapter we see what spawned that force.


	16. Recovery

A soft dome of black, containing swirling mists of dark blues and purples. Slowly, the almost egg-like distortion of Dark Energy faded away, curling back into the ground from whence it came. A small figure stood, long white-silver hair flowing in the wind.

This place was decimated. Craters, gouges in the ground, shattered rocks…the signs of a battlefield involving a titan. However, it was no titan that did this. It was merely a man. A powerful man. It was a testament to the horrifically vast amount of _force_ contained within a single Concept of existence, that a single man, with only the vaguest traces of magic of his own, wielding the power of Human Emotion in the form of four weapons, could do so much damage.

A single man, morphed and twisted into a World Eater by the power of Emotion. A single man capable of destroying entire nations, planets even, solely due to his control over one particular aspect of Existence.

The damage was a show of power, of force, of _meaning_, held within the Concept of the Void.

Were the situation not so dire…she would have smiled, knowing that _now_ her charge could finally begin to **grow** again.

She slowly padded towards her target.

Good…his hair was black again. A sure sign of that which had drove him no longer holding sway. He was asleep…unconscious…and probably reliving his life. Yes…from the feelings his heart was giving off…he was definitely reliving his life. Her own heart ached for him. She knew what he would be seeing. She knew where it would lead. She had a promise to keep. And keep it she would. But first…she had to get him to safety.

After all, what good is **Power** if one is not in a state to wield it? Even the most dangerous of **Gods** could be slain with ease, if they were caught in a state where they could not wield their Power to protect them.

And her charge was no God. Just a man with a chaotic inclination, and a mind that reflected it.

She wrapped her arms around his torso, squeezing him gently.

And the black dome returned. Ferrying them both away.

**Kingdom Hearts Re: Order**

**Chapter XV: **_**Recovery**_

Sora let loose a heavy sigh.

They were all alive. Somehow. Their injuries had been healed within only a few days. Even Sora and Roxas had been restored to normal, even though they were reduced to only floating loose hearts.

It was all thanks to Miri, that anyone could walk away from that…disaster.

She didn't explain much. Only that she kept an eye on things from the Dark Realm, whisking away whomever was injured when Seth's attention was diverted from them. Though she had a gaping hole in her chest, Kairi had been kept in suspended animation. Ino's restoration point was shifted to Miri's location, so when the once-nobody replica revived – a lot faster than even Miri expected – she appeared at Miri's side.

Together, the two saved everyone from being permanently killed. But Kairi's, Riku's, Naminé's and Aqua's injuries were severe. Lucky for everyone, a veritable army of healers had shown up.

Not ten minutes after they were brought by Miri to the Gathering Hall of the Restoration Committee, turned into a makeshift hospital, did King Mickey and Queen Minnie show up, with Donald and Goofy in tow. Immediately Minnie, Mickey and Donald started throwing healing spells left and right, while Goofy got whatever supplies were needed. And even then, they hadn't ended up coming alone.

Three more people arrived, a blonde haired young teenager, who looked a _lot_ like Roxas, appeared in a glowing gateway of Light, as did a taller brown haired man, and an older black haired man peppered with grey. The three seemed to know each other, and were _surprised_ to see one another, with both elder men hugging the younger teen like he was their lost family. But upon seeing the broken, battered bodies of Kairi and the others, they all immediately went straight to healing.

Aqua had been the first to recover, her injuries being the surprisingly lightest out of all of them. She too expressed tearful joy at seeing the trio that had arrived. Over the next week as repeated healings and rests occurred, Riku, then Naminé awoke, their injuries recovered. Then with the help of Aerith, Yuffie, and Alicia, Sora and Roxas were restored by use of a pair of Life Materia, as well as Sora's connection to Kairi.

Kairi…who was still unconscious.

Her injuries were the worst. A gaping hole through her lower torso that took almost the entire week to heal, even with seven powerful mages casting high-powered healing spells all at once. Even with the Life Materia, it was a close thing. But the hole had been closed, and her bodily functions restored to normal. Only…she hadn't woken. Everyone that looked at her claimed she was perfectly fine…only…she just refused to wake.

Worse, Sora had to admit…she felt…muted. Like her Heart wasn't entirely there. He could still sense her…only it was as if she was a very long distance away. Nobody had an answer for this, and the newcomers had to be introduced and informed what happened. But nobody had answers as to what caused Seth to just flip out like that. Not even Ino.

"_It definitely wasn't planned. It was as if he was…just…blank. Like I was staring at empty space. A complete void of any sort of…existence at all."_

"_Wait…didn't Nu mention something about a blank spot in his heart?" _Sora recalled Alicia asking.

"_That's…right. She did! What if…that was the result of that blank space taking over his whole heart? As some sort of reactionary defense to being ejected from his body?"_

Nobody could confirm anything though.

"Hey, Sora."

The brunette was drawn from his musings by the arrival of the _other_ blonde haired boy. His name was Ventus. And he felt extremely familiar to Sora when they first met.

"Hey Ven. What's up?"

"Ahh…well…I wanted to thank you, actually."

Sora blinked. "What for?"

"A couple things, to be honest. One of which was taking care of Aqua while we were all…away." Ven looked a little sheepish.

_**You mean while you were all either half-dead or worse.**_

_Yeah well…_

"Hey, no problem. She mostly took care of herself anyway but…I'm-

"Hey don't apologize. It was that other guy's fault. Then again he _did_ kinda let her free from the Realm of Darkness…"

"Seth is…_was…_a decent person. A bit…odd. And definitely dangerous but…he seemed…off…"

"Yeah that Ino girl told me. You'd think she was in love with him the way she went on about him." Ven quipped.

"I think she is actually."

"No kidding? She's definitely cute…"

"What was the other thing?"

"Oh, right. I wanted to thank you for…for letting me in."

Sora blinked. And then he understood. "Ahh…no problem."

"Yeah I figured you'd say that…I saw a good bit of what went on with you guys, but it got fuzzy whenever that Seth guy was around. And then…"

"And then you woke up. No big. Happy to help."

Ventus and Sora were referring to the fact that Sora, from a young age, had housed Ventus' heart and existence within himself. And that it was Sora's heart that restored Ven's, prior to Ven's first meeting of Terra and Aqua. Unknown to either boy, Sora had been newly born at the time Xehanort took Ven's unconscious and dying body to Destiny Islands, to live out his final days in peace; a strange act of kindness from the man who would go on to basically kill his old friend, and hijack Terra's body. It was due to this proximity to such a pure existence, that helped Ven recover his sense of self, which was lost when Xehanort tore the very Darkness within Ven's heart out of him, thus leaving the boy broken and at the edge of death.

After Ven confronted his darkness, his shadow, Vanitas, and locked the two of them away, his heart had latched onto Sora's existence, as Sora had seen the glint of Ven's light dying out, and opened his heart to whomever was calling for help. A dangerous act, but it was prompted by a young Riku, whom even then was prone to dabbling in the supernatural. From that point, Sora held Ven's slowly recovering heart within his own, much like how he held Kairi's at one point, as well as Roxas' and Ino's.

"Don't worry man…she'll wake up. Sounds like she's a fighter."

Ven was referring to the unconscious Kairi, whom – other than obviously being still alive and breathing – had not yet awoken.

"Yeah…she will…"

"C'mon. when was the last time you ate?"

"Uhh…"

"Yeah, you're definitely coming with me then. Aqua made waffles. And she makes _incredible_ waffles."

* * *

**(BGM: Final Fantasy XI: Faded Memories – Promyvion)**

How long had they been at this now?

Upon waking up in a weird place, filled with dead grey sandy dunes floating over an endless black abyss, they had been repeating the same sequence. Go somewhere, fight something, see a memory. Go somewhere, fight something, see a memory. It never seemed to end.

But it was a learning experience, for both of them.

Despite them being opposite mentalities from one another, Kairi and Nu made a surprisingly effective team. After Kairi convinced her black haired clone to put on _some_ sort of clothing, the two had set out to figure out where they were. Nu had no idea, even if the place seemed…familiar to her in a way.

"It's like the place I resided in before the first time I took over. I didn't wake very often, but when I did, I saw a black void much like this one…"

The terminology was apt. Literally it was an endless expanse of black, peppered with floating islands of grey sand, chipped, broken trees, shattered buildings and…**them.** The girls didn't know what they were, just that they came in multiple shapes and sizes, some looking like towering bugs, others short, squat but wide four-legged cocoon entities resembling spiders. Each one had a glowing core of a color in either Yellow, Red, Green, Blue, Black, White, or a pale Grey.

Over time, the girls noticed that certain ones would ignore them, usually the small floating ones that looked like detached skulls attached to spinal cords. Others were aggressive no matter what, and would chase them down relentlessly until they killed them. Usually the spider looking ones. Yet every now and then they'd come across a giant glowing orb inside what looked like a Gazebo, acting like a cage. It would repel them, and summon stronger forms of the floating skulls, but once defeated, would open a gateway that drew them to a different location.

But only after dragging them into what was obviously a memory of Seth's.

Over time, they saw a large amount. His life was on display, periods of many emotions. Events that slowly pieced together exactly who it was they were dealing with. They felt his pain, joined in his joy, cried in his sorrow, snarled in his rage…all as if it were their own. Eventually it came to that the girls kept slaying monsters, breaking open those orbs, all because they both _wanted_ to know more, to understand.

And then they saw the **truth**.

They saw the end of his world.

And upon seeing that memory, they found themselves at the base of a broken tower. It was obviously once extremely tall, possibly as tall as Memory's Skyscraper. It looked ancient, ruined, though it was no less impressive. Still, they could both tell it was once beautiful, even now it held a strange, haunting elegance to it, with its dead grey vines and broken arched windows. However, beyond passing the still intact large double-doors, they had found him…sitting inside, staring into space.

* * *

"So wait you all heard the song too?"

The ninth day since the failed training attempt. The now massive group had gathered at the Hall, where they were basically trading stories, getting to know the three new arrivals. It was Aerith, who had asked the question, posed to everyone else. Nods and noises of agreement and affirmation were her answers.

"The sky turned black, there were glittering red and pink stars, and a shimmering multicolored aurora before we left. And then that song." Minnie answered.

"All signs of a Reality Marble…but how could it have reached between worlds like that? It was only happening here…" Ino queried.

"Because the worlds were reacting to Zero's presence."

All heads turned to the sudden voice that echoed from the open front doors.

"K-Kairi! You're awake!"

Slowly the girl walked up to the group, where they got a good look at her. She had…changed. She was taller, her body had filled out more, yet retained a toned look to it. Her clothing was tighter on her, as it was now a size or two too small. But most notably were her eyes and hair. Her hair, while still red, had darkened more to the color of blood, while being streaked with black. And her eyes…

Her eyes were now a deep purple.

"Yes…and there is a lot you all need to know."

* * *

"We're not leaving you again Seth!"

"Dammit woman…just go away! You know what I am. You know what I've _done_. So just go! You don't need me around you anymore!"

"Master, do you really expect us to believe that you're just going to give up on everything?! That you'd leave Ino, and Alicia like this, heartbroken?!"

"They'll be fine. They existed without me, they can do it again."

"Bullshit! I know you Seth, I've seen you at your best and your worst! You're not a coward so stop running!"

"I'm not running for _my_ sake you idiots! You can't be around me! Nobody can!"

"We're not leaving you Master!"

"Dammit why the _fuck_ not?!"

"Because we lo-

**"TOMARE!"**

They froze. It wasn't…_anger_ in his voice.

It was…**fear.**

"…tomare…"

The two girls cast silent glances at one another. He was…_shaking_?

"Omae wa…" He shook his head violently. "you…you can't finish that sentence. …Please…just…don't…"

"Why the hell not?!" Kairi yelled.

"Because anyone who says those words to me **dies!**"

The girls blanched, stepping back. _That _was the source of his **fear**? They were stunned. Both of them, individually, tried to come up with some sort of counter but…when they thought about it…it was indeed a very…twisted irony that…all the people who had ever spoken the words 'I love you' to him were indeed killed…and not just by the end of Earth…

To think…_he_ was the reason why his world no longer existed…it was baffling. But…that was the result of rage and grief…linking with the hatred and agony of a **Planet**…

How could they refute something that was obviously a logical conclusion in his mind? There was no example that proved otherwise. They couldn't use themselves…

"That's not…entirely accurate."

All three occupants of the ruined spire blinked, turning to their right, where Miri stood. She slowly stepped to Seth, reaching out and grasping both his hands in hers.

"What…no. Miri…you know-

"It's not completely true." She cut him off, softly.

"No. That's…alright then." He had a resolved frown on his face. "Prove it. Who the hell is still alive? After everything?"

She gave him a soft smile, squeezing his hands, her body beginning to radiate a gentle glow.

"Me."

"You…? But…wait what-

"shh." She removed one hand and placed her left finger on his lips, still smiling softly. The glow intensified.

"Just watch."

And with a flare of light, and pulse of will, the area was illuminated by her brilliance, as both Nu and Kairi were flung backward.

* * *

"Wait…you're telling us…Seth destroyed his own world?!" Alicia asked incredulously.

Kairi nodded. "Yes. After losing all three of the people he loved the most, he lost all hope. He lost all drive, and gave up. And he was killed. Killed by a Keyblade wielder. His heart was unlocked and banished away. You have to remember, the realm of Darkness didn't exist back then, it hadn't been formed yet. So his heart would have been sentenced to wandering the world, endlessly. But something happened. Nobody's really sure what, but I think it was due to his link with Tiamat, but when his heart was displaced, rather than flowing away into the flow of souls as it should have, it resonated with the heart of his world. The Heart of Gaea had been feeling the emotions of the lost hearts wandering its surface."

"And…he connected to it…" Aerith concluded.

Kairi nodded again. "That's right. His will, even though it was broken down, was very strong. He had a wish, a desire…a…curse…actually. He cursed the Keyblade. Cursed its wielders. To him, even though it brought him and his loves together, it was the reason they were torn away from him. He wanted it gone. He wanted it _erased_. And the Heart of Gaea, filled with the pain and sorrow of hundreds of millions, resonated with that will, and granted him its Keyblade and power. In the process, he was overloaded, becoming mute and blank. His emotions were gone, buried under a wall of nothingness. His power over gravity was maximized, his Void element pushed to its conceptual limits. But his heart-links remained. And in the conversion process, he gained access to the three Valkyrie's Keyblades."

Alicia blinked. "Wait what?"

"Sorry, not like Lenneth or Silmeria. He called his three girls his Valkyrie. Lynn, his wife, the Daughter of Chaos; Elle, his apprentice, the Maiden of Infinity, and Revan, his sister, the Divine Blade of the Black Flame. The four of them traveled together, went through _hell on Earth_ together. And they were taken from him. The three of them had Keyblades, but he didn't. And nobody could figure out why someone like him didn't have one. But I think it was because in the back of his mind, he was rejecting the Keyblade on some level. He saw it as the source of the world falling to shit. Humanity, in his eyes, wasn't ready for the sheer conceptual power brought about by the Keyblade."

"So he became that…unemotional warrior demon?" Alicia asked. She seemed to be fielding the majority of the questions to the purple-eyed teen.

"That was the blank spot we'd felt. From what we can tell, he literally became _one_ with the concept of **Void**. Spatial compressions, temporal manipulations, gravitational fields…the very concept of empty destruction itself…they were all under his jurisdiction. Through his four Keyblades he wielded the power of the Void and the Earth itself. Every concept that existed upon Earth was at his fingertips. And he killed…he killed hundreds of thousands over only two weeks. He didn't need food, or sleep or anything. He was powered by the hatred and anger of the world, turning it into an emotionless death for so many. Men, women, children, it didn't matter. If it had a Keyblade, it died."

She took a deep breath. "Because of his connection to Gaea, he could _see_ who had a Keyblade and who didn't, even if it wasn't out. It was a sort of…Mystic Eye ability, a Perception beyond normal senses. Anyone who had grasped a Keyblade of their own, was his target. And anyone who defended them or tried to hide them, would be struck down as well. The worst part of it all was that the World would simply become more and more destabilized with every Heart that was released."

"By the gods…" Eraqus spoke, horrified. "And yet you tell us there was no malice in him? No darkness at all?"

"Oh there was malice. But that was merely the spark. He was never a fan of humanity to begin with, though he professed their potential. But the Keyblade…it made an already imbalanced world even more so. So when he was…reborn, so to speak, he had a task: Destroy the Keyblade and all its bearers. In the end, even though he personally slew so many, he came to the realization that the Keyblade would not be erased without erasing the World it was on. Thus, Gaea had him set off a series of chain reactions. Ones that would destroy it, all the people on its surface, as well as the Keyblade itself. Back then, there was only knowledge of one world, Earth, so nobody could go offworld to escape."

"So…he destroyed his world…with himself on it…" Alicia muttered.

"The thing was, the World itself was calling for its own destruction as well. A song…was heard everywhere, while Zero was setting off what needed to be done. Words…like from when he nearly killed us all."

"Do you remember what they were?" Tifa asked.

"Umm…only the last bit. I can try to sing it for you. I don't know if it'll mean anything but I'll try."

"Please." Aqua requested.

Kairi nodded, clearing her throat. She closed her eyes while taking a deep breath. As she opened her mouth, unconsciously her arms spread open. She dived into the memory of the final words of the strange, rampant, raging song she heard in pieces while seeing Seth's-Zero's meticulous erasure of life.

**"_Yeeel, Was yea ra weal yorr toe titilia mahin en jambea won mea._**

**_infel, yorr memora?_**

**_wharn wis dor sos yora spitze_**

**_Den dest phantasmagoria en rhaplanca ides,_**

**_Mea wis rooshellan,_**

**_noini roon en endia vale._**

**_Coall inna mea."_**

She relaxed, blinking. Speaking those words…she could _taste_ the power within them, even if she didn't know what they meant.

"…yeah that definitely sounds like what we heard when he went nuts…but what the hell does it mean?" Roxas asked.

"_**In the distant past, I was happily watching your little fingers holding me, your little feet stepping upon me."**_ Suddenly Aerith's eyes opened wide, and she spoke.

"_**My dear Children, do you still remember those days? My arms were the lands, spreading infinitely for your freedom."**_

"Aerith wh-mmmfrglfff?" Leon began to speak but Yuffie slapped a hand over his mouth, silencing him.

"_**The Paradise has rotten, the Land of Blessing has withered. I am the cradle, the womb of genesis, the bed of demise. Come, return to inside me."**_

Slowly, Aerith spoke, clear, deep words of power flowing from her, before suddenly she stopped, blinking rapidly, shaking her head as if to clear it.

"Aerith…you understood that?" Tifa asked. The brunette woman shook her head.

"No…no…I…after hearing it…I just…heard a voice. The voice of the World. Telling me what to say…what it meant. I think…I think she spoke through me."

"Forgot you could do that…" Tifa muttered, cheeks tinged pink in embarrassment.

"Do you know anything about it? That language?" Kairi asked.

Aerith tilted her head, eyes seeming to glow as information filled her mind and heart. It was…choppy. The world didn't usually 'speak'. It usually just sent impulses.

"Uhh…it was…a language…of song and emotion…created by humans…of his world. But…known only to a small number. A language created for entertainment purposes…? Something about…a game? It's hard to hear her. But…it was adopted by some conceptual powers…because it was forged by humans but generally unknown. Some thought it…was fun to use…because only a few people would know it…but…Gaea…sung a song that humans created…based off of an angry, dying world, enraged with her children, wanting their destruction for ruining her. Gaea…felt it fitting…she heard it from some of the souls that cycled through her…but…it was _his_ soul that sang it the loudest." Aerith blinked again.

"I…she…Gaea I mean…she sung it as…tribute. To him. To his loves. He loved that music, he loved that language even if he could barely speak it at the time. In his honor…because he was doing her work for her, work she couldn't do on her own…she sung it. And forced it into the minds and hearts of all. It contained her once-love for her children…her pain, her rage…it was all of her…as it was designed to be. There were many…over countless millennia…who shared their songs with her, their…lives. They were all her children, her creations. And countless of them paid her tribute, honored her in their own ways. But he stood out the strongest, because he was the first to _completely_ resonate with her will." She continued, almost sounding as if in a horrified trance.

She was. She was treated to vague images, still, frozen flashes of death and destruction. Flickering visions of children bleeding and screaming, trapped under cars, buildings, impaled by trees and signposts alike. Adults holding blooded stumps of limbs, clutching severed heads, crumpled, broken. Hearts being forcibly ejected from bodies, people in mid-shatter from their existence being pierced…

All backed by the image of a silver eyed, dark brown man, four Keyblades floating around him.

Eyes that were as dead as a corpse.

"Many had died at the hands of Keyblade Wielders. Many had been scattered and lost…families torn apart, loves ripped from one another, friendships broken…all because of a fragment of Power. She had pushed, and pushed…to grant her children more Strength…to try to weave closed the differences between them, to prepare them for the next stage of their evolution…but they clearly weren't ready. And she cried, and despaired…and then he fell. And when he fell, like with all, she saw his life, she saw his will, his Time. And she felt that He would match her enough. She gave to him a greater fragment of her Power, and resonated with his final desire. And through that…gave him her blessing to destroy it all."

They were all silent. The Keyblade wielders of the group all were unknowingly sharing the same musings. They all wielded the Keyblade for various reasons…but such a power…caused an entire world to come to hatred. To wish for its own destruction.

"But then how was he still alive?" Leon asked randomly. It didn't make sense. The world was destroyed…and yet Seth remained.

"Something happened…just before the world was destroyed. It's…important. And big. And easier to show you." Kairi said.

"Show…us…?"

"It's a memory. Miri's memory. You'll understand when you see it. Just…don't look away. No matter what."

"Wait you can show people's memories now?" Sora blurted out. Kairi grinned and shook her head.

"Just this one. It's…an odd manifestation of my power over Light. It's a sort of Mirage type thing. I don't really understand it myself. But I think…when that wall of force hit us…Miri implanted something into my driver. So I can show you…I just might not be able to do it again."

"Well…do it. We want to know." Cloud acknowledged.

"Alright…"

She took a deep breath, the silver belt and buckle appearing around her waist. Placing both hands on the sides of it, she closed her eyes and focused. Slowly, the heart-shaped core began to pulse, before a wave of pink light erupted from it, blinding everyone.

* * *

**(BGM: Nier Disk One – The Ultimate Weapon)**

The sound of echoed footsteps.

But…it was a grassy field. Why would there be the sound of shoes on concrete if it was grass? And why was the sky tinged…oh.

A black scar was coating half the sky, as if splitting it in two. Hundreds of thousands of twinkling pink, red, even orange lights littered the expanse of darkness. Slightly obscuring the strange rip in the sky, was a glowing aurora of many colors. The veil of light was shimmering and shifting, like fluttering cloth made of transparent silk.

The footsteps grew louder.

Slowly, they saw a strange ruin. A series of chiseled stones, rectangular in shape, arranged in a large ring. Each set of three looked like they all formed an archway, however some were broken. Slowly, walking towards the outside of the ring, were two women. One was incredibly tall, at least seven feet. Clad in a midnight purple dress with an insanely plunging neckline, milk flesh covered in silver bangles, armlets and anklets, long flowing black hair that seemed to tint a deep violet when light reflected off of it; she walked forward with purpose and grace. Her body was lightly toned, breasts large enough to threaten spilling out of the dress she wore, wide, child-bearing hips and a slim, but not unhealthy looking waist.

She was perfect. A definite Goddess in human flesh.

Slightly behind her and to her left, was the second woman. Definitely shorter than the first, though maybe by about a foot and a half, chalky, almost unhealthy looking skin. Clad in a black kimono pattered in pink sakura blossoms, a blood red obi sash around her waist. Her face was bare of most makeup, excluding a gentle black coat of eye-shadow, which went to enhance the shimmering blood red eyes she had. Pale, white hair flowing like flickering flame behind her, she stepped in her geta, slowly walking along the grassy pathway, completely seeming as if unaffected by the strange sights above.

The world's colors were slightly muted, save for the shimmering veil of light above. And their movements echoed as if in a grand hallway.

And within a short minute, they stopped, the woman clad in purple stepping forward, towards a crumpled figure, leaning unconscious against one of the stone slabs.

And then suddenly a blur of motion, the woman's head snapped to the side as a tiny, grime covered fist smashed into her right cheek. The woman's eyes widened at the sudden attack, as she caught sight of a strange person. The woman stumbled to the side, before taking a few steps backward. Her companion narrowed her eyes, drawing a familiar looking blood red katana from thin air, only for the black haired woman to throw out her arm.

Her attacker…was a small, naked little girl. The child, with dead looking, frayed black hair swaying in an unfelt wind, her body heaving with heavy breaths, shuddering with suppressed emotion. Dead, green eyes that shimmered with a faint tint of defiance stared down the black haired woman. And for a moment, it seemed like the visage of a gigantic, towering _dragon_ with twelve…no…_fourteen_ massive wings appeared, superimposed over the woman who stared at her assailant in surprise. And in the next moment, the air seemed to fizzle and pop, as if being temporarily overcome by static. For a few seconds, replacing the sight of the two forms facing one another, came an even stranger sight.

_**An image of stained glass, rounded into a circle. The many fragments of color depicting the scene of a small figure facing off against a large fourteen winged dragon, the small figure with a tiny pink asterisk before it, the small figure standing, as if protectively, in front of a slightly larger one, that seemed asleep. It burned into their minds, screaming its importance, and then faded, returning the vision to the scene before it appeared.**_

The girl's body was semi-transparent, a glittering light flickering just above her bare chest. She was covered in…_something_. Both women had their suspicions of what the crusted white and red streaks all over her body were, but neither called attention to them. The girl was standing, arms spread, protectively in front of the unconscious figure.

"Why do you stop me?" Asked the white haired woman.

"Peace…Izanami…I highly doubt this child would attack me for no reason. Not with this world as it is."

"What does it matter? She is obviously a lost soul."

"Exactly…why would a lost soul, which could no doubt feel our power, suddenly lash out? What would a child like that gain? Besides, look at her eyes. Do they not look familiar?"

The white haired woman had to pause at that. Her almond shaped eyes narrowed in confusion…and a bit of worry.

"Look at her, Izanami. She stands before him, as if to bar our way."

"She shouldn't know him. All that know him have vanished. Why does she stand there?"

"Let us find out, shall we?"

The black haired woman, showing no sign of having just been decked in the face with the full force of what appeared to be an eight-year-old girl, slowly walked forward. The child tensed, stepping back, yet not in cowardice, but as if to fortify her position. All while the empty yet almost determined looking glare on her face never wavered.

"Child…you know what it is that I am…correct?"

No response.

"Yet you stand in my way. Why do you bar my path?"

Still no response. But it was enough to see the girl not flinch from her massive power.

"I see. I had no intention of harming the one behind you. In fact I know him quite well. You could say we are…partners…of a sort."

Even then, no sound. And the girl didn't relax at all. This was getting interesting.

"If I may…I would like to see how you know him. Do I have your permission? It won't hurt at all. I'm just going to look into your recent memory."

The girl's stance didn't relax in the slightest. But that was alright. She felt a _very_ faint acknowledgement from the child.

"Thank you. Now I'm just going to place two fingers upon your forehead…like so…"

A brief flicker of light, a small familiar glyph comprised of multiple triangles appeared, and the world turned black.

* * *

"huuuUuuUAAAHHH!"

It was difficult, but the disgusting fluid that spurted into the back of her throat found its way into her stomach. She left nothing behind, no remnant of the goop that had filled her oral passage. Her breaths were quick, sharp, just enough to keep her conscious, but not enough – and definitely spaced apart – that she would choke. Though her small figure was rocked repeatedly by full-body slams, punctuated by another deep groan of satisfaction from yet another of these sweaty older men, she kept quiet.

Her nose was bleeding a little, her eyes watered, her throat felt clogged, her feet were numb, her…whatever that was in between her legs felt like it was on fire.

But she didn't say anything. She didn't ask why.

Good girls didn't ask questions. Good girls did as they were told.

"Ahh…I gotta say Kenjiro, this little brat is damn good."

She heard the words but they meant nothing to her.

Just another party.

Just another day she was used like some sort of…of…trash can.

It had been going on like this for years. Her father would take her to one of these fancy looking buildings. And every time, she'd be made into a toy. They beat her, put things in her, made her act like a dog…

She used to wonder why, she used to cry and scream and bite and claw and fight.

But after three years of this treatment, she didn't care anymore.

Good girls don't ask questions. Good girls do as they're told.

It hurt. It always hurt. But she'd long stopped really_ feeling_ it. It was just an uncomfortable pressure to her. She used to try smiling, faking it, going along with it. But after the fourth beating from her father's mistress, she stopped. It was freaky, they said. They didn't mind the dead look in her eyes, but that creepy grin apparently cost her father lots of money. So she stopped. She was just a doll now. She used to want to know what she did to earn this punishment. Not anymore.

Good girls don't ask questions.

She used to try to make it easier on herself. Y'know…try to predict what the many men and women who used her like a toy, wanted. But she'd mess up. They didn't want someone who acted on their own. They wanted a toy they could control. So she stopped.

Good girls do as they're told.

"I wouldn't know. I'm not interested in broken toys, after all."

"Oh come now honey…in a few years she might actually be worth something." A woman with rust red hair spoke.

"Perhaps. But for now she's just a doll. No use for anything but being a cumdumpster for the rest of you."

Oh. There we go. That's what she was. A 'cumdumpster.' Fitting.

"Maybe we should blindfold her next. Those eyes…ugh." A hook-nosed woman shuddered, her false nails digging into her partner's skin.

"Really now, you can't expect even the most hardened of warriors to not lose themselves after so long. I'm amazed she lasted as long as she did before it happened." The man who called himself 'Father' spoke, almost as if he held some respect for her.

Almost.

"UUUuuuuhhhh."

The girl didn't even flinch as a jet of white sprayed upon her face, the gunk dripping down her forehead, entering her eyes. She made no noise even as her vision blurred with reflexive tears, a deep burning sensation ripping through her skull. She gave nary a twitch, not even a sniffle.

Some, were enticed further. Others were deeply disturbed. Oh they had no problem watching or using the girl, but they got their enjoyment from the _reactions_. The flinches, the looks of fear, the screams of pain and denial. This child, shackled to a wooden post on the far wall…she made no noise. They could shove whatever they wanted in any hole, they could cut her skin open, stab needles into temples and sharp clamps onto her nipples and she wouldn't make a single noise, or even flinch. She was clearly some level of monster.

Because all they saw were those dead, empty green eyes. As if the girl's soul was ripped from her. Many didn't look into those eyes, feeling as if they'd die just staring at them for too long. They were an abyss.

And everyone knows the saying of the abyss.

But the girl…she didn't care. Nothing mattered. She was a toy. A doll. Just something to play with once in a while, and ignore later.

"Y'know…" one slimy voice began speaking. "Maybe we should cut the middle man and just tear those things out. After all…would bring new meaning to the term 'skullfucking' wouldn't it?"

Some titters and laughs responded to his question.

The girl just stared, her vision clearing, the burning sensation going away.

Under normal circumstances, she'd be shocked, or awed. But the strange healing power of hers meant nothing. It just meant she was stuck longer. She didn't know where it came from. She didn't even ask to practice it. It just happened. And it made everyone else pleased. They could now do far worse to her than before.

Good girls don't ask questions. Good girls do as they're told.

A woman, this time, approached her. Just as she was lifting her skirt and shoving her smelly crotch into the girl's face, – it wouldn't be the first time she's had to deal with that, and probably not the last either… - a series of flashes of light and crackles of energy erupted along the occupants of the large room. They all stared at themselves in shock and confusion.

"What the hell…? Why'd this thing-

Many of them held Keyblades of various shapes and sizes. And the magical weapons of the Heart had suddenly appeared.

Nobody knew why.

None of them were intelligent enough to have known. None of them truly _fought_ with them. None of them had to _survive_ and understand their weapons. They had them, they could do certain things with them. It brought them power. That was enough.

Therefore, none of them knew that for the Keyblade to appear suddenly, of its own volition, meant that there was a credible threat to their wielder's existence nearby.

This lack of knowledge, added to their shock, as the lone door into the large dining room suddenly burst off its hinges, slamming into a few of the well-dressed occupants. The music stopped as the small band ceased playing, everyone froze in surprise as a tall figure, wreathed in a glowing aura, stepped through the doorway. They gave silent gasps as the figure, revealed to be a _very_ dark skinned man with flowing white hair and glowing grey eyes, had not one, not two, not even _three_ but **four** Keyblades. Two in hand, two floating behind him.

_**And suddenly again, the vision sizzled and broke. For a brief few moments, their sight was replaced with yet another image of stained glass. This image depicted a small child, hands clasped as if in prayer, kneeling in front of a large group of shadowed, faceless figures. Many of the figures had strange, blood red, key shaped marks superimposed over where their chests would be. Her face was bloodied and matted with semen, sweat and tears.**_

_**Behind them, stood a taller figure. Wreathed in a cloak of black and white tendrils, the figure behind the shadowed men had **__**four**__** key shapes around it. Two where its hands would be, and two behind it, like wings. Behind and above the cloaked figure was a black scar in a blue sky, many small pink asterisk shapes cluttered in the black veil. And like before, the image stayed for a few moments, before fading away, the vision continuing as normal.**_

"Who the he-

The closest one was struck down, shattered into a wave of glimmering lights. There was a moment of silence.

And then all hell broke loose.

* * *

It was over in a matter of minutes. Not a single person could stand against the new arrival.

And not a single person survived.

They tried. Oh dear gods they tried. But each one failed. Each one was completely outclassed. Anything they sent at the man, was returned _literally_ with greater force. They couldn't touch him in the slightest. And he…oh he was _very_ capable of touching them. Fireballs, frigid air, stone pillars…so on and so forth. Swung Keyblades were parried easily, their wielders cut down in retaliation for their existence.

The strange, glowing figure decimated all the occupants of the room, many of them seasoned and powerful mages of their own right. Yet not a single one could stand against One Chosen by the Planet.

Bodies, fallen weapons, broken glass, broken instruments, broken _everything_ scattered the room. Blood, flesh, bile, excrement, spit, semen, every conceivable bodily fluid covered the floor and walls. And _hearts_. Tens of hearts floated absently, their inner shine clouding as they slowly faded away. The sound of feet on marble echoed. The man, still glowing with power, turned away.

And then he stopped.

The girl stared. Deep inside, **very** deep inside…she was amazed. Awed. And a little scared. But it was buried so deeply, she couldn't even think of feeling it.

The man turned. And locked eyes with her.

Time seemed to halt.

He lifted his left hand. The tip of his Keyblade began to glow.

And then the glow vanished.

He blinked. His head tilted to the side slightly.

And he stepped forward.

The girl just stared. Making no sound. Her eyes never leaving his.

He stopped in front of her. She was suspended above the ground via a series of chains. Her arms had long since been numb, there was blood and semen dripping out of both holes, her skin was bruised and cut, tear stains covered her cheeks, dried blood crusted beneath her nostrils, her hair was oily and dead, blood, urine, semen, spit, and who knew what else… But none of that mattered.

Because now, something was different.

She had a **thought**.

…_his…eyes…_

They were grey. Glowing grey. Beautiful really…if not for one thing.

…_are like…mine…_

They were **dead**.

Just like hers. They were dead. The eyes of one who had lost their will, their desire, their _everything_. The eyes of a lost soul, stuck in human flesh.

…no. No. No no no no no! This wasn't right! _She_ was the only person meant for eyes like that! _She_ was the one who had done something that caused her punishment of being used as a living sex doll! Not him! Not anyone else! Nobody but _her_ was supposed to have eyes like that! Nobody! Nobody with his obvious _power_ should be **dead inside** like she was!

After a full minute of staring at one another. Something inside of her _**snapped**_.

She opened her mouth, for the first time in three years, not to take something inside it…but to _speak_.

And then she felt _pressure_.

Something was inside her again.

Only…it was in her _chest_.

And while it was hard, and cool, and _sharp_…it felt…_warm_. Warm and loving and inviting and oh so relaxing. It was a painful embrace of hatred and love wielded as one, flowing through her veins like liquid cold flame.

She never stopped looking at him. Her eyes never left his. Four dead pools of color, locked in an unending embrace, even as her body became filled with _power_, as her flesh no longer felt _heavy_.

…_why…?_

A soft, glowing white light began flowing from her body.

…_Why…?_

The light traced her veins, flowed along her nerves, penetrated her brain.

_Why…?_

Yet she didn't look away.

_Why?_

She didn't _want_ to.

_Why?!_

She felt something. Something she'd been missing for years. Something _powerful_.

_Why?! Why?! Why?!_

For the first time in three years. She felt...

_WHY ARE YOU LIKE ME?!_

**Desire.**

Her body shattered into wisps of light. Most faded instantly. But some…some remained. Fusing together into a glittering heart. The man simply turned and walked away. Not sparing a single glance behind him.

If he had, he may have noticed the faded image of that little girl, coated in proof of the dark side of humanity.

She was staring at him.

And there was a **spark** in her eyes.

Good girls don't ask questions.

Good girls do as they're told.

…but that's just the thing…

_Aki is a __**bad**__ girl._

* * *

Her hand withdrew. And she nodded to herself.

"Yes…I figured as much."

"Ugh…disgusting humans…"

The black haired woman turned to her accomplice. "They do tend to be rather rotten, don't they? Surprising that such a group only represents at most a third of their population…and that's being horrifically generous."

The white haired woman – Izanami, the other one called her – scoffed.

"That's one third too many."

The black haired woman nodded, and returned to the child. "You wish to know of him. You defend him because you see yourself in him, and wish to know why…you do realize he is dying, correct?"

The child finally reacted. Her eyes widened slightly, hard glare on her face weakening with surprise. The woman nodded sagely.

"Yes…then again so is this world…and everything upon it."

"All the more reason for me to send her along." Izanami spoke.

"Perhaps…however…can you not feel it? It is faint…but she was capable of retaining her mind, through her will. Such a life as hers should not allow for such things…do you not agree?"

"…wait…you don't think-

"Yes…he did something different. Everyone else he struck down with force. Or released. Either way, force, condemnation, was involved. She was merely a spectator. He did not slay spectators. Only those who stood between him and his goal. Yet here she is. A Heart without a body…yet overflowing with Purpose."

"Are you trying to say he regained himself then?!" Izanami sputtered, incredulously.

"Perhaps…perhaps not. But I can't but wonder if he experienced the same thing this child did. A shock that he would encounter someone with eyes like his own. Yes…he has seen much, during his Cleansing, but until that point, he never _looked_. Can you understand that _something_ in this girl happened to call out to him? Usually he paid spectators no mind. He _looked_ at her, Izanami."

"Impossible…you said it yourself he was** lost** to us!"

"I have been wrong before."

"But…but…ugh!" she yelled in frustration, stomping her foot. Were the child capable, the little girl would probably find herself giggling at the older woman's plight. "It doesn't even matter! This world is ending-_he_ is ending! Even if what you imply is true, it means _nothing_ in the end!"

"You're wrong."

Izanami just stared.

"He is still my Champion. In fact he is the _only_ one I have left at this point. And he was always the more…driven…out of all of them. He cherished our connection more than the others. After all, he was the only one to take a sample of my power and _still retain himself_ afterwards. This world may be ending, but it has not end_ed_ just yet."

"…what are you planning…?" Izanami queried warily.

The black haired woman turned to the child. "You wish to know him, correct? You wish to find your answers? Fulfill the desire that set you free from the chains of the Void?"

A slow nod.

"He is dying. This whole World is dying. But with a bit of help…he may very well survive. But he will need you. And you will need him. He will survive…but he will be alone. He will be scared. He will be _weak_. You must be there. You must be his strength. You must be his companion. You will be the one that binds him to life. The one that grants him the clarity of focus. You will be his resonance point, his pillar, his foundation. You will be his protector, from everyone, even himself. You will be his **everything**. And perhaps…in time, you will gain the answers you seek. Will you do this? Is this something that sounds appealing to you? To be bound to his existence, to have your very being defined by his? His will, shall become yours, and the same in return. You will have, in the end, only one another to rely on. And even that may not be enough. Is this what you want? Can you see yourself being this way?"

A lot of it…she didn't really understand. But what she _did_ understand, would that she would never be alone again. That…somehow…this person, this strange man who she watched kill so many while wearing an emotionless, dead, face…would give her what she _wants_.

"Tell me child…do you promise to be _his_ for eternity? To never leave his side, even if he wishes it of you? To be the sole being that his very existence will be anchored to, from now until the day something erases you both? To spend the rest of your lives together, bound as one, never apart?"

Good girls don't ask questions.

She had none, for this woman. She knew. She _understood_.

Good girls do as they're told.

But…she wasn't being _told_ to do something. She was being _asked_.

So…what was she?

…_Aki is a __**bad**__ girl…_

Yes…that's what she was. She would ask questions, but _later_. She would ask _him_ questions.

And she might not be able to do what he wanted her to. This woman was saying that she would have to reject his commands at times, for his own sake.

If good girls…didn't ask questions. And good girls did as they were told…

Then it looked like she wouldn't be a _good_ girl for much longer.

And for some reason…that made _**her**_ feel good.

"I…promise…"

Izanami gaped. She had _felt_ the blankness of this soul, this lingering remnant of vague will and power. The child never spoke a single word, didn't make a single noise. And now she _did_.

She didn't see her compatriot's smile.

"Indeed? That is your choice then?"

The girl nodded. "Aki…is…a bad…girl…"

The smile turned into a feral grin, and the woman knelt down and leaned forward to whisper into the child's ear.

"_Well…it's a good thing he happens to __**like**__ bad girls…isn't it?"_

The child gave a very soft, almost unnoticeable smile, and the woman stood again.

"Go to him, child. Hold on to him. And do not let go. I shall do the rest."

The child gave a soft nod, and turned around. Slowly, she approached the silent, unmoving figure. She couldn't see his eyes anymore, and his hair was a different color…but she'd seen him change back from that powerful state. It was him. Slowly, gently, she knelt down, straddling his lap the same way those older men had her do. Only now, she gently pushed her hands around his waist, and lay her head upon his chest.

She didn't hear the small gasp of surprise from Izanami. She didn't see the wild smile on the other woman's face. But she felt…_warmth_.

"**xE yorr cEzE cecet sos grandus hes/."**

A soft glow surrounded the girl. She sighed in contentment, not truly knowing what the feeling going through her was.

"**xE yorr cEzE viega sos ruinien/."**

The glow became brighter, and now started to surround him. She had no way of knowing that there was a bond forming between them. One formed both from the strange words being spoken by that older woman, as well as her own _desire_.

"**xE yorr cEzE ciel sos manaf hes/."**

The glow became a brilliant flare, as the girl's eyes closed, her heart slowly sinking into his chest. She felt tired, but not _dead_ tired. Exhausted as if she had just _succeeded_ in life, and was now going to take a nice, _long_ nap.

"**xE yorr cEzE arhou hes sos infel hes/."**

The light faded, the girl vanishing with it, as the light became a semi-transparent shell of glowing silver.

"**xE yorr cEzE manaf hes sos ciel!"**

The shell began vibrating, as ripples of air and power emanated from it. The vibrations turned into brilliant flares that shined bright into the eyes of all.

* * *

The light faded, and everyone's sight was returned to them. They all blinked rapidly, looking around, and once again seeing one another, and not the strange, stopped world they were just watching.

There was silence. What could be said? They'd just watched…

"That…was…" Aqua spoke haltingly, her mind trying to process the _disgusting_ thing she just saw.

"Horrible." Kairi finished for her. "And now you all know just _why_ Miri was so loyal to him."

"That…wait…that girl…was…_WHAT?!_" Yuffie exclaimed, completely baffled. Kairi just nodded.

"Yeah. That little girl was the Shadow Heartless that became Miri, keeper and princess of the Black Heart. That memory, was her _last_ memory as that little girl. Her memory of facing down two gods, because Se-Zero, inadvertently re-awoke a long-sleeping desire within her. A sheer, completely unexpected perchance of _luck_ occurred that day."

"But…why was he different with _her_?" Riku asked. He didn't display anything like that with Kairi…not even Ino!

"She had his eyes." Ino said pointedly. "The same eyes he did. Eyes that were dead, blank, emotionless. Even in a haze of **Void** an unexpected occurrence would still jolt him for a moment. That's why he was gentler, when he released her heart. He felt a kindred soul in her, someone who didn't deserve such a life."

Kairi nodded. "That's what we figured too. We thought that even though he was driven by the World's Desire, there was still enough of Him in there to sort of tailor things a bit. Not like a resistance, but just…a slight coloring of action and view. It helped that at the time she didn't have a Keyblade. He may not have been as gentle with her if she did, same eyes or not."

"So the lack of Keyblade was the real defining factor." Terra offered.

"Most likely." Kairi agreed.

"So…why'd he suddenly…change…?" Naminé asked, worried that he'd do it again.

"We thought it was because he was sealed that way. He reverted to his original state, before he died, but for some reason he woke here, before meeting me, without his memory as the World's Destroyer. We…believed it might have had something to do with us hearing Miri say something about him waking 'early'." Kairi said.

"waking…early…?" Ventus muttered.

_**Wait…like how that old fuckface Xehanort ripped me out of you? And how you actually woke up because Sora's heart repaired the hole I left?**_

"Seriously?!" He asked incredulously. Everyone turned to him, where he flushed slightly.

"Ahh…uhh…Van…had an idea."

Looks of confusion, and then one of horror.

From Aqua. Who had put it together.

"OH MY GOD ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" She yelled. Everyone flinched at the sudden noise level from the otherwise rather calm woman. Plus, they were surprised she swore.

_**Damn…so she does know how to get loud. I'm liking her more and more.**_

_Not now Van._

"Uhh…?" Was Ven's eloquent response.

"That…that little…he's still alive?!" She'd gotten up and into his face, eyes wide with anger, indignation, and worry for the younger boy before her.

"Kinda…? We…_did_ kinda have about ten or so years to do nothing but sit and talk…since…y'know…we were…in Sora's heart and all…" Ven offered, hesitantly.

"…Ven…"

"It's alright! Really it is! We're cool now. I mean…he _is_ me after all. Just…less intentionally restricted?"

_**Meh, close enough.**_

"…we will be having words, later."

Ven sighed and then, with a slight, hidden push from Van, he relented. But _oddly_. "Yes dear…"

Aqua froze.

Hell _Ven_ froze. And then he flushed heavily. All while hearing a soft chuckle in the back of his mind.

_**Smooth, dumbass. Real smooth.**_

Aqua blinked rapidly, a small flush coming to her cheeks. But she pushed the strange occurrence into the back of her mind for the moment, deciding to focus on the matter at hand.

"N-now…what were you…the two…of you…talking about? A-a second ago?"

Ven blinked. "Uhh…w-well Van figured that it was like when Xehanort ripped him out of me. Maybe…that Seth guy was missing parts of his memory because he was forced to wake up early."

They all blinked and stared.

"That…would actually make a lotta sense…" Mickey, who'd been rather quiet, said. Minnie nodded next to him.

"My husband is right. If his slumber was a magically induced coma, one meant to protect his very being until such a time as he was to wake under whatever circumstances that woman intended, then it's very likely it was also meant for him to slowly come to terms with his actions, the fact that he was still alive, as well as his new companion. If he was forced to awaken from that slumber early, then it is quite possible that not all his memories would be properly aligned in their respective places." She said.

Kairi nodded frantically. "That must have been what happened then! And that would explain the blank spot as well! Seth said he got woken up by Xemnas' hand through his chest, pulling his heart and soul out and tossing it aside while Xemnas claimed his body as his own. If that was what interrupted his recovery-sleep, then the blank spot must have been the part of him that remembered _everything_ that didn't get assimilated!"

"And then when Kairi released his heart…" Riku began, starting to understand.

"The blank spot was unlocked, and took over, returning him to how he was, at the moment he was sealed asleep!" Alicia finished.

"Which means that it was all a matter of bad luck…" Sora said quietly.

"So…it wasn't…his fault…?" Tifa asked, still a little confused.

"You can't fault him for having the remnant will of a dying, enraged World sealed within him." Aerith spoke, calmly, but with a bit of steel in her voice. "The **weight** of a world's consciousness is immeasurable. To stand against it, alone, like he did, would have crushed him. The fact that he resonated with it offered him a great deal of protection, but if that command was still circulating, behind that wall of emptiness…"

"Then he would not have been able to fight it even if he was coherent enough to conceive such a notion." Eraqus completed, to Aerith's nod.

"The proper conditions were met." Kairi said suddenly, to everyone's confusion. "Think about it. As a heart, all that's left is some vague remnant memory, and all your emotions…but they're free to flow. He has multiple life links, that would likely speed up the revival process. Ino herself said that she returned to existence surprisingly quickly, and without any aid. And she was basically _shredded_ completely. Seth was reduced to a Heart, but the life links he had brought him back to existence almost immediately. But it brought him **completely** back to existence."

"Memories restored, brought back in the state he was sealed." Alicia spoke, understanding. "Much like Object Materialization, forming an Einherjar. They return to 'life' in the exact state they were just prior to their 'death'. He was restored completely, in the state he was, while performing the duties commanded to him by Gaea. He perceived a group of Keyblades, and sought to erase them, as was his directive."

Kairi nodded to her. "And that's why he decimated us. Miri already knew what was going to happen, so she fled, to be out of his perception range. And one by one, she did what she could to get _us_ out of that range as well."

"But because he was actively sensing widely, if she'd acted in an obvious manner; that is to say, while he was paying attention to _everything_ he might have sensed the interference and tried to follow it, which would have led him to her, which would have been disastrous." Ino continued the idea.

"Which is why she had to wait until he was occupied with someone, to try to pull in the most recently injured party." Kairi concluded.

Yuffie snorted. "Bad girl indeed."

Kairi nodded again, a small smile on her face. "Good girls do what they're told…well…he didn't tell her to, or not to do anything."

"But she went against his current wishes." Ino said, a soft grin pulling at her lips. "Which means she did something he didn't want her to."

"Very bad girl." Alicia said, grinning widely.

"We'll have to punish her, won't we?" Yuffie said happily.

"Candy shop?" Aerith suggested, understanding what they were getting at.

"**Candy shop."** Came four responses.

"uhh, how exactly would taking her to a candy shop be a punishment…?" Tifa asked, confused.

"Well…too much candy is bad for your health." Aerith said coyly.

"Mmhmm. And causes such horrible stomach aches." Alicia spoke sagely.

"And we can't very well _reward_ her for such deplorable behavior." Ino said, while Roxas blinked and muttered "didn't even know you _knew_ that word…" to himself.

"Perish the thought." Alicia commented cattily.

"Such an unhealthy mess. No less than someone like her deserves." Aerith continued.

"After all, Good girls do as they're told. And Miri is a good girl, isn't she?" Kairi grinned.

"I doubt she'd want to be a bad girl anymore after this punishment." Naminé finished.

* * *

A wave of brown hair splashed out of the water.

_Jesus…that was too close! What __**were **__those things?_

A pair of ocean blue eyes blinked water from them. Their holder looked around at her surroundings. It was a small island. One she'd explored before. It was a safe haven…of sorts. It wasn't too far from the mainland, but it was unmapped. Dangerous. But she never cared for the danger. It provided a sense of thrill she'd sought in her otherwise dull life. And now, would be a place to recuperate from the ordeal she had just faced.

It was a wondrous boon…for a time. To have become what she always desired to be: a _mermaid_. But…she was betrayed. Tricked and betrayed. She handed over the almighty Trident of Power to someone _evil_. But how was she to know?! Her mother never told her _anything!_ And to find out that her mother was _also_ a Mermaid, but not only that, a _natural born_ one?!

She didn't know what hurt more. The betrayal from the woman who gave her what she dreamed of, or the betrayal from the woman who called herself 'mother'.

But now…she was stuck. The sea witch Morgana did indeed fill her promise of making the change permanent. She was stuck as a mermaid now, never to walk the earth again. Even _she_ knew that ultimately, that ending wasn't what she was after.

As she floated closer to the rocky beachhead surrounding her secret island, she paused, hearing clearly what was the voice of a man. The words were not discernible, especially not over the lapping waves, but she definitely heard a male tone. Slowly, she drifted a bit closer, trying to figure out what was being said.

"…-ahh dammit! _Fuck _this hurts! Son of a bitch all I wanted was to _fucking_ swim for a bit but noooo, I have to get _jumped_. Wanted a nice swim to clear my head cause I can't damn well _fly_ anymore but nope! Can't relax. Always fighting. Stupid fucking emblems…"

Floating silently, out of sight, she blinked. _Wow_ this man was crude. She'd heard the words before but rarely in her household, and her mother always told her father off for saying them. Still, it sounded like he was injured. She knew a _little_ first aid, from scrapes and bruises she got herself during her little faux-adventures, but from the sounds of things he was angry. Maybe it would be better to-

"Alright whoever the hell is out there, show yourself or I'm going to assume you're hostile and kill the everloving _shit_ out of you."

She made a small eep noise, her blood running cold. For a moment she hesitated, panic trying to settle in, but she quashed it down as best she could. If she ran, he might chase, and she might die. The thought that she could out-swim him easily tried to hammer itself into her mind, but the day's events bogged her down. Thus, slowly, carefully, and trembling, she approached from behind the rock she was listening from.

"HI!" She squealed, nervously. "H-Hello! I-I'm no threat! N-no need to kill me! Just-just swimming along." "oi." "S-so there's really no problem here! Nope! N-none at all! Just going for a swim and- "Oi!"

She stopped stammering, falling silent. She watched his eyes narrow, before gesturing her closer.

"Classified you as friendly, kid. Not gonna kill you. C'mere."

"'mnot a kid…" she muttered reflexively. She flinched when he snorted. Clearly he heard her.

"T'me you are." Then he grimaced. "…ugh…fuck…ok look, sorry. I'm a little pissy right now."

"I…uhh…heard you…you're hurt…?"

"Was. It was just a scratch. Ok more like a carve in my damn arm but it's…almost healed now. The salt water just really made it hurt like burning, y'know?"

She nodded slowly. The confirmation of magic being real, along with merfolk and a complete society/kingdom under the sea made her quite seasoned to the idea of rapid healing.

"Why're you in the water still? It's gotta be getting freezing." He said, quirking an eyebrow. She grinned sheepishly and shrugged.

"I…like it?"

"Bull."

She sighed, not wanting to make him think she was hiding something threatening. Thus, she flipped back slightly, flashing her tail at him. He blinked.

"Huh. Mermaid." He said absently.

She sighed again. "Guess I am now…"

"This your island then?"

"Uhh…not really…? I only just came here a…a few days ago…"

"You're depressed."

She blinked. Was she? Maybe…

"Ahh…umm…I…I guess I am, kinda…"

…damn his inability to ignore depression right in front of him.

"Well…pull up a rock and lay it on me."

She blinked. And looked at him strangely.

"My mother said to be careful around strangers."

The man snorted. "Once…I'd say that was sound advice. But really…who _isn't_ a stranger? Anyone new you meet is a stranger, be they your age or older. So what does that advice mean? Be careful around older people only? Well what about teachers? Or law officials? They're strangers too, more often than not. And yet we're expected to trust and obey them. Classmates, other students, they too are strangers, yet we're given shit for not immediately diving in and making friends with them. So what's the point? Either be wary of everyone, or do it case by case, I say."

She blinked in response. It…made sense.

"I never…really thought of it like that."

"How old're you?"

She quirked her eyebrow. "Thirteen."

He nodded. "Makes sense. It's only about now that you start really noticing the details and questioning things. Give it time. You'll start noticing stupid shit around you easy."

"Still stands though…" She said, a little nervously. Didn't he threaten to kill her earlier?

"Fair enough. What's your name then?"

"Ahh…M-Melody." Too late now.

"Selh'teus Rodin. There. We're not strangers to each other as much anymore. So pull up a rock and let's hear your story."

She blinked rapidly. This…is how adults work…?

She wasn't to know that no, that's _not_ how even _some_ adults work. Mostly just him. But she'd learn that in time…

* * *

"…-and then I found you."

She'd just told him everything. _Everything_. Every problem, every concern, every thought, every irritation. **Everything**.

"Feel better?" He quipped, a wry grin on his face.

She looked at him strangely, but then it dawned on her. She _did_ feel better. Admittedly nothing _changed_ really. The situation was, what it was. But she felt…a bit _lighter_. Like the weight of her problems was a little more bearable.

"…yeah….actually. yeah I do."

"Good. Cause I gotta say, a lot of that is severe bullshit. And it's typical. Unfortunately, a lot of adults are like that. Even with other adults. They _know_ something. Something important, something big, or even just something that might make shit easier. But they don't say a damn thing. For whatever reason. And parents are the biggest offenders of hypocrisy. They tell their children one thing, but then do the exact opposite. Or they'll omit key details because they don't think the kid can handle it. Or in your case, they'll learn of a major issue, and do nothing but _run_.

I mean, legit, sea witch? Hard to beat. But yer mother…she fought Ursula. She and a kid that was about your age at the time, Sora, busted up the _other_ sea witch. Together. Her father did _exactly_ what she did. Her father didn't trust land-walkers, for good reason, in his eyes. But he never explained anything to his children. Only expected them to Obey. Meanwhile, your mother wanted to know about the overworld. She saw all the sunken treasures and hidden gems that came from the Surface. Like you, she thought the other side was different. No…they're all the same. Like you, her father, holding power, knew something she didn't, or rather in his case, merely suspected something. But rather than trying to explain things, giving concrete examples, or hell, even admitting he could be wrong but so far hadn't seen anything that proved it, he simply lorded over her not to go, to give up her 'foolish notions' and 'silly dreams'.

And like you, she jacked the Trident, and gave it to the sea witch. And like you, the sea witch betrayed her. She wanted you safe, she wanted you _not_ to make her mistakes. But in the process of wanting that so badly, she failed to take into account that you are a living being, with thoughts and will of your own. You are a half-mermaid, the sea is just as much your home as the land. She didn't take that into account when Morgana posed a threat to your life. But that's the problem with adults. It's like…once they become parents, any knowledge they gained growing up, how it meant to be under someone else's control…it all goes away. At any point, rather than running from the problem, and hiding the truth from you, she could have told you. Or dropped hints, or turned it into a bed-time story fairy tale, meant to subliminally teach you how to handle certain situations, and be subconsciously prepared for an eventual attack by the sea witch.

The worst part of it all is she swore to herself never to do what her father did to her, which was hide the truth, and only push their belief and agenda. And in the end, that's what she did. You're young, yeah, but she was only a couple years or so older than you when her own ordeal hit. And she messed up. But her _father_ messed up first by not being straight with all his children. Which then led to _her_ messing up. And now, she's repeated the cycle. _She_ messed up just the same way her father did, just a little less heavy-handedly. And that led to _you_ messing up, because you were _never_ made aware of any sort of threats, or warned about any specific person or being so you'd at least _know_ what you were dealing with."

Melody simply stared, gaping. Here was a scruffy-looking man, sitting with her, and basically telling her it _wasn't_ her fault.

"So…it's…_not_ my fault?"

"Oh no girl, it is. Partially. While under normal circumstances it would have been best to listen to your parents, at the same time, as an adult, as a person who still remembers the tribulations of being under my parent's thumb, and as a being of free will, I can safely say, you were right to do what you did. It was only your fault that you didn't listen to them, but at the same time, the greater fault falls on them for being stupid people about this. They made the mistake of running from the problem, and trying to shield you from it all with their bodies, rather than giving you _knowledge_ that would be an even greater shield than any wall they could build. They basically lied to you in a sense, leading you with incomplete information which put you into this mess.

While you're responsible for the Trident being in the hands of Morgana, _they_ are responsible for _leading_ you to a position where trusting someone who _gives you what you so badly desired_ went wrong. It's a hard lesson to learn, that ultimately you can't get everything you want, and truthfully you _shouldn't_ anyway. But that's a lesson that is best learned in _steps_ and small pieces that are linked together to form a bigger, clearer picture."

"So…it _is_ my fault?" Now she was confused.

"To make it a bit clearer, you're responsible for giving Morgana the Trident. _That_ part, and that part alone, is on you. _**BUT!**_ At the same time, that was the _price_ for your dream. She asked for the trident, to finish her end of the bargain. That was the condition. And you taking the Trident and giving it to her, was you _honoring_ that agreement, which is the _right thing to do_ in most cases. The only thing you are at fault for, in truth, is honoring your bargains, which a person should do ultimately anyway, outside of specific circumstances which we won't get into right now."

She nodded, somewhat understanding now. He was saying that giving Morgana the Trident was a bad idea only because of who Morgana was. But the act of giving her the Trident itself, was her doing the right thing by honoring the agreement she entered. She filled her promise, and that in itself was sort of a good thing. It just so happened that the person she had promised to, was bad. And that part wasn't anything she had anything to do with.

"However, your _parents_ are ultimately responsible for Morgana getting the Trident. While you are the one who delivered it to her, thus honoring your agreement; _they_ are the ones who did not warn you about her, or anyone _like_ her. So in the end, due to their inaction, and bad decisions, it comes down to _them_ being the reason Morgana has the Trident, and is now capable of threatening both domains. This is due to them not giving you important and needed information about a threat not just to you, but to both realms, that had thus far gone unchecked."

She nodded again. Here, he was saying that her parents made a big mistake by not telling her _anything_ of what was going on, let alone their history. And that lack of information is what led her to making the mistake she made. Which begged the question, was it really _her_ mistake, if she didn't have _any_ clue even to the _existence_ of such a problematic person? The answer seemed to be 'no', in this case. How could she be held responsible for trusting someone who actually _gave_ her what she asked for, twice over even, when nobody warned her that such a person existed? It's one thing to give a general warning about malicious or dangerous people in general. But that in itself seems fantastical. It's another thing entirely to give direct warning about a specific person or persons that _does_ exist with proof.

They had proof of Morgana's existence, of the world her mother came from, of the threat to her, and both domains. But they did nothing with it. They ran, and hid it from her.

_And if Mr. Rodin is right, then by running from the problem at hand…they made an even bigger one appear._

"Any of that make sense?"

She shook off her thoughts and nodded rapidly. "Oh yeah, a lot of sense. Thank you. I'd been feeling…guilty."

He shook his head. "No reason to, really. You did exactly what was expected of you. And that only happened cause they made it happen. Can't expect you to know not to trust someone, when you don't know they exist, right?"

She nodded, smiling slightly.

"So what are you going to do next? Keep running? Go home? Fight?"

She paused, uncertain.

"I…don't know…I don't want to do what they did…so I can't run. But…I don't know if I can just…go home and pretend I don't know any of this…and…even if I wanted to fight…would I do any good?"

"Better question: why would you fight in the first place?"

"What…what do you mean?"

"Let's say you win. And things start going back to normal. Is it worth it? When people find out that you're a half-breed – and trust me, they'll find out – shit's gonna change. Doubly so since you're technically a princess. People are going to treat you differently. More than your classmates do. They're going to attack you, verbally, mentally, sometimes even physically. They're going to insult you, your lineage, your family, your friends. You're unfortunate enough as is to be born a girl, not because of any weakness or faults or flaws of your own, but because people, even adults, _especially_ adults, are stupid. They see women as weak, inferior, pathetic.

Ultimately, men and women, other than the physical differences and some slight mental tweaks, are the same in the end. I mean, the biggest _notable_ difference that isn't physical, is that women have a higher base magical modifier than men do, but at the same time, they also have a higher base agility modifier. Wheras men are more tanky and attacking based. But with the proper training, and instinct, and intent, either gender could perform either role. But most people, especially adults, can't see that. They see a pair of tits on you and think you're weak, pathetic, meant to be in the kitchen and taking care of the children while they do the 'real' work.

And being a princess, they're not going to want you to do anything of your own. They'll want you to be prim and proper and give up all the things you enjoy, to become a figurehead, just someone they can look at and lust over and admire and aspire to be, but never consider one of _them_. You'll never be 'normal' again. And you'll see it. And you'll _hate_ it. And you'll spend every waking moment looking for those few people who love you for you and want you to do only what _you_ want to do. And even if you find them…they might not stay. They might not be able to handle the pressure, or someone might attack _them_ and they might not be as well protected as you, or trained, or they might be _better_ trained and _still_ fall.

And say you want to change the world. Use your power and influence to make people stop seeing anyone, let alone women, as 'naturally inferior'. Who is to say you'll succeed? People will fight you every step of the way. Even the people who agree with you will still fight against you because what you intend to do will cause their cushy little livelihoods to become unstable. People only want change when it benefits them, without encumbering their current way of life. Otherwise they don't want it, and will fight against it, even if they _know_ they're wrong, or _know_ the change needs to happen.

Is that what you want? Is that a world you can see yourself fighting for? Is that tiny speck of hope something that can power you through the dark days ahead? Because let me tell you the truth, people are going to say shit like 'it gets better.' That's bullshit. They're wrong. It _doesn't_ get better, unless you're a _white man_ and you have _power_. Everyone else has to _fight_ and _struggle_ and _suffer_ before they can even scratch the bottom of the base of the power tree. It only 'gets better' if you fight and claw and _kill_ for it. And you have to do it all while not losing sight of your goal, or worse, your_self_. You have to _make_ it better, on your own, because even if someone offers you help, they _aren't_ you, and in the end, only_ you_ know what it is that you want.

Is that something you think you can handle? The truth of the world as it really is? Can you grasp that dream, that _**desire **_and never let go, no matter what happens? Can that tiny pinprick of light in your life illuminate your way? Do you even want it to? This is the _real_ question you have to ask yourself, Melody. And if the answer is anything but a concrete, unwavering 'yes', then I say run. Run far, run fast. And don't stop until either you die, or that answer changes."

She teared up, more and more as he went on. He painted a pretty bleak picture.

"is…is that…really going to happen…?" she asked, one breath away from openly crying.

"maybe. Probably. Most likely not in full…but pretty big chunks of it will. People…are stupid. Worthless, in my opinion. Idiots, the bunch of them. But…individual _persons_…can be smart. Capable. Worth it. But it's true…the majority of people will stand against you if you threaten change that they don't understand. And even if they do, if it make them lose what they have, even a tiny piece of it, they'll hate you. That's just…people. That's selfishness used in the worst possible way. And it's up to you to decide if it's worth doing it, if not for yourself, then for those few individual people you'll run into."

"I…I don't…I can't…I-

"Welcome to the Big Leagues Mel. This is the consequence of **choice**. This is what it means to hold **power**." His gaze was dispassionate. His pale brown eyes just locked onto her watery blue ones, as she stared at him, horrified.

"You don't have to make your decision right away. Even someone like Morgana will have to get used to the power within the Trident. You have _some_ time. dunno how much, but some."

She just stared, silently. He sighed.

"Look. Come on. Take some time and just rest ok? It's been a long day for you. Let's…ok, you say that was magic, based on your desire? That means its powered by it. You're locked into that state right now…but…every lock…"

She was startled out of her distress by a wall of black erupting into place next to him…from which stepped a small girl with long, flowing white hair, clutching what looked like some sort of…

"…has a key."

* * *

"So…your daughter is missing and there's another Sea Witch that's after her, and this one happens to be Ursula's sister."

Sora and Kairi, on a whim of the redhead's to go swimming, decided to come to Atlantica for a date…ish…thing. Kairi herself had no discernible clue why she suddenly wished to go swimming so badly, but she did. So, like a pregnant woman with cravings for a peanut-butter, ham and pickle sandwich, Sora took his confused girlfriend off to Atlantica, to show her the wonders of the underwater kingdom. However, upon reaching the world, the Gummy Ship's translocator indicated only one 'landing zone' and it happened to be on dry land.

Deciding to take a look anyway, the two found themselves tumbling out of the dinnerware cupboard in the dining room of Eric and Ariel, the two people Sora helped bring together the last time he was there. After a bit of a rush of a confrontation, seeing as two teens suddenly burst out of a closet, Ariel and her husband proceeded to acclimate themselves to the Keybearers and informed them of the recent happenings.

It's been at least twelve years since Sora had left, on that world, which threw the brunette spiky headed bearer for a loop. And in those twelve years, Ariel had a child, whom was subsequently threatened by the sister of Ursula. As well, two days ago, Ariel gained a temporary return to her roots, to find her wayward daughter, only for the two to be ambushed by a group of undersea Heartless, as well as Morgana herself. The sea witch fulfilled her promise to Ariel's daughter, and bound her in a permanent Mermaid state, before the three were jumped by the Heartless, causing all three seafarers to separate.

They hadn't seen her since, and Ariel was terribly distraught, especially considering the transformation was temporary for her, and with the Trident now in Morgana's hands, nothing on the magical front could be done.

"We'll help you look for her." Kairi spoke. Sora blinked at his girlfriend.

"Oh no I couldn't possibly-

Kairi just held up a hand, stopping Ariel's attempt to deny her.

"No. Listen, I know Sora. You're a friend of his. He doesn't like leaving strangers with their problems as it is, it's worse when its his friends. He'll be thinking about it the entire time we're here. Better to just help you now and get this cleared up, so we can have our date without any interruptions after."

Ariel just stared at her fellow redhead before sighing and nodding. "Thank you…both of you."

Sora shrugged. And Kairi just shook her head, grinning. "It's what we do."

In a example of a good day gone bad, not five hours after setting sail, Sora's group happened to be waylaid by a pirate ship. To his surprise and joy, however, the pirate ship happened to be none other than the Black Pearl. With a toss of his Keyblade, embedding itself into the ship's mast, garnering everyone's attention, Sora landed upon it, shouting the very word no besieging pirate wished to hear.

"Parlay!"

Recognizing the voice, the cocky grin, and the oversized key-sword that _any_ pirate wished to have, Captain Jack Sparrow, greeted his ally Sora, and reluctantly - after being word-pummeled by miss Elizabeth Swann, as well as seeing Sora's beautiful blood-haired girlfriend appear with _another_ Keyblade, and not wanting the clearly volatile girl to slaughter his crew – agreed not to further attack Ariel's ship. In exchange – since Sora understood the art of piracy – Eric gave Jack the description of a _different_ ship, whose captain was "an asshole of the biggest order, and could use a good trouncing. Sorry dear."

As well, Kairi suddenly piped up with an idea.

"So, Captain Sparrow-

"Jack, please, lass."

"Captain Jack then. How would you like to earn a favor from Sora?"

"Anything?"

"Short of murder or theft from a complete innocent…yeah."

"Let's hear it then lass."

Kairi then outlined the issue of Melody being missing. Ariel pitched in with a description of her daughter's looks, including the salmon-red tail. The crew of the Black Pearl was surprised, not only to hear that Ariel herself was a mermaid, but her daughter had become one as well. Despite his ease in giving away the description of an old enemy of his, Eric was wary in trusting a group of pirates. But Sora and Elizabeth convinced him that pirates weren't bound by any laws besides their own, and could cover greater distances easier. As well, pirates were already wanted by many authorities, so if anyone had to be killed or maimed in the process of returning Melody, it would just be another notch on their ever-present noose.

Reluctantly he accepted the situation.

But of course, good day gone bad.

The sea churned violently, and in front of the two connected ships, formed two figures. The first, being tall but thin, horribly pale green skin lined the upper torso and arms, but the lower half was pitch black. The second was bigger, both in body and in stature. Rounder, larger, and much more imposing, the purple skinned second figure rose just as slowly as the first.

"Morgana!" Eric snarled.

"U-Ursula…?" Ariel stammered, shocked.

Worse, _both_ of them held Tridents.

"Ariel!" Came a voice from nearby. Head and torso sticking out of the water, was King Triton, Ariel's father. He had appeared at the space between the two ships.

"Father! What is going on? Morgana I could understand but how is Ursula alive again?! We killed her! Twice over!"

"Gaia Memory…?" Came the soft, speculating voice of Kairi. All turned to her.

"What…did you just say? Do you know how she could have returned?" Triton inquired harshly. He blinked and recoiled at the fierce glare returned to him.

"First off, take that tone with me again and you'll _wish_ you never heard of a Keyblade." To emphasize her statement, her Keyblade flashed into her hand, causing Triton to float back, in shock, and a bit of fear. Even if he had the Trident, it wouldn't match the power of the Keyblade, and this girl was clearly unlike the boy previous, who had been intimidated by him before.

"Second off, it's only an idea, based off of similar circumstances we've faced. It's possible this Ursula is just a copy. A one-to-one scale copy, however, with all of her powers, knowledge and intentions."

A loud voice cut them off.

"Well well, what do we have here? If it isn't Triton, my old friend. Oh and what's this, little Ariel as well? My you've grown!"

* * *

Almost immediately after they appeared, both ships, the Black Pearl and the _Imperial Defender_ began their attack. Loud, ship shaking **BOOM**s were heard as the many cannons on both ships fired upon the two sea witches.

And of course, as could be expected, not a single scratch was left on them, for their Tridents combined had blown every cannonball out of the sky. Ursula simply laughed at their pathetic attempts, taunting them all before firing a wave of condensed lightning at the two ships. The impact blew off many chunks of wood and steel, causing small fires and injuries amongst both crews, but the ships held.

Kairi and Sora healed as many wounds as they could, as Kairi prepared herself to jump upon the ocean's surface and brave the waves to try to bring the fight to the two sea witches.

But she gasped and stumbled, clutching her chest.

"Kairi!"

And then…something _weird_ happened…

A pillar of water suddenly erupted towards the sky, drawing the attention of all whom were present. As that one tapered off, another appeared, not far from the first. And then another. Over the coming thirty seconds, sudden massive pillars of water seemed to erupt their way past the two ships, the Black Pearl and the _Imperial Defender_. Morgana clutched her Trident tightly, while Ursula simply gazed dispassionately at the spectacle.

They were _Sea_ witches. Water-based attacks meant little to them.

And yet, as the eruptions began to spread out, circling the two, even Ursula began to tense slightly. She wondered what could be causing such phenomena. Especially since she kept feeling an odd pressure emit from the sea every time one of those pillars exploded.

A change occurred, as the eruptions stopped, just as suddenly as they began. Morgana let loose a soft, hidden sigh of relief. Even with the Trident, she was still weaker than Ursula. What might not threaten her bigger, louder sister could possibly threaten her.

And then another pillar erupted, right beneath Morgana. Only this time it wasn't just a pillar. It was a tight, spiraling wall of water that engulfed the thinner sea witch. The swirling waterspout reached towards the heavens, as flashes of light and bolts of power erupted from within. And then a figure was launched from the left side, sent flying deep into the ocean's grasp. Ursula turned her own Trident towards the spiral, launching her own lightning from its tri-pronged tip. But she seemed to strike nothing, as the spout then appeared to _bend_.

Clearly this thing was being controlled by someone, for it twisted upon itself like a coiling snake, before the 'head' touched back to the ocean. After a few seconds of this, the entire strange configuration burst apart, turning back into falling sea-water. While she didn't care much about Morgana's fate, Ursula was irritated at the intrusion, especially since it seemed that whomever their attacker was, got away.

And then she saw a distortion of air appear over the _Imperial Defender_, and began paying _close_ attention.

Standing on the bow of the _Imperial Defender_ was a man, clad in dark pants, no shirt, but a black leather jacket with an odd symbol comprised of seven triangles. This man was familiar to two particular people upon the Black Pearl.

"Seth!" Kairi yelled out, in surprise. What was he doing here? Clearly he was the source of the pulse that went through her, prior to the pillars of water, but why was he _here_?

A loud splash came from between the two ships, as another spiraling waterspout emerged suddenly, tearing into the air before suddenly bursting. From within came a girl with a salmon-red mermaid tail.

And holding a gleaming golden trident.

"Melody?!" Ariel yelled, shocked.

"Mister Rodin! I got it!" The girl called out as she dropped next to him, tail segmenting away into a pair of human legs. And then Ariel realized something.

Melody wasn't wearing anything on her lower half.

The dark skinned man just nodded at her.

"Shit!"

He threw his arm out, towards the brown haired teenager, and she went flying back. He then jumped away, as a bolt of golden lightning slammed into the space the two were originally occupying. Ursula had began her assault.

"I don't know who you two are you little brats, but I'm putting an end to you right now!" The sea witch exclaimed as she held up her own Trident, crackles of golden energy wrapping around it prior to launching into the sky.

"Mel! Spread your legs!" Seth called.

Ariel, Eric, and many of the others gaped in shock, disgust, and horror that he would say that to a _thirteen year old girl whom was missing any garments on her lower half._

And yet, the girl complied, though she quickly stood up before doing so.

"Grip the shaft!" She did so, right hand near the fork, left hand far beneath it.

"Raise it high!"

Without hesitation, she complied, tensing her leg muscles, and lifting the slightly weighted Trident above her head.

"Now _push_!"

It took her a second to even fathom what that meant. But ever since touching the Trident, she felt a connection to it. She didn't have any idea of what was going on, really, but she trusted her new mentor. As a golden flash appeared in the clouds above, she tensed her whole body, pushing outward, mentally. Unknown to her, the Trident knew what its wielder was desiring, and answered her silent cry.

As the bolt of magical godly lightning ripped through the sky, slamming down upon the girl, her own Trident pulsed with power, splintering the raging bolt around it, kicking up shards of wood and bursts of dust as it was redirected around the girl.

Ariel stared at her pants-less daughter in pure shock. How did the girl do that? Hell, why was she taking orders from that man? And how did Sora's girlfriend know him?

"Amazing…" She heard her father mutter from below. "She commanded it without effort…but how could such a thing be possible?"

"You little _bitch_! You may have stopped that, but lets see you stop _this!_"

With those words, Ursula rose both arms, and the sea below her buckled as a massive wave rose to the sky, roaring towards the two ships. Keyblades formed in Kairi's and Sora's hands, the two preparing to loose a combined Reflect spell, to try to protect at least the Black Pearl from harm, but before they could…

"Melody! Slam down!"

Again, not questioning the command, the girl brought the lower tip of the shaft down upon the wood of the _Imperial Defender_. A visible pulse of dark blue light rippled from the bottom of the Trident.

"Legs spread!" She did so, once again.

"Raise it high!" And like before, she lifted the Trident up.

"Shift left!" She was a little confused, but she felt the Trident get tugged to her left, slightly being pulled down. She recognized that feeling, and moved with it, shifting the forked tip of the Trident counter-clockwise, until she was holding it horizontally.

"Push forward!"

Like with the deflection of lightning, she focused her mind on a wall emerging from her. To everyone's surprise, the ocean in front of the ships churned, and a wave rivaling the size of the one Ursula summoned had formed, crashing into it, and causing both to splinter and fall back into the sea.

"That is _**IT!**_ **DIE!**"

Ursula rose her arms again, globs of water ripping from the sea, before they frosted over, becoming massive spikes of ice. With a pointing motion, they launched through the air, each one a third as big as either ship.

Unfortunately, it was at this time, that Melody's knees buckled. She was suddenly very exhausted. She dropped to the ground, Trident falling next to her with a loud clatter, panting for breath. She looked up and saw the massive icicles heading her way.

"MELODY!" Her parents screamed in horror. They were moving too fast! There was no way either of them could get to her in time! Even with Sora running to the edge of the Black Pearl, there wouldn't have been enough time. He could possibly have blocked the icicles easily, but whichever ones he didn't, would have hit the ship and caused it to sink, at _best_.

There was just no way to get to her in time.

**"Ittouryoudan…**_**GENMU ZERO!"**_

A sudden yell pierced the air.

The very sky before them seemed to be cut in two, the incoming icicles, even Ursula herself appearing as if having been diagonally bisected. A wall of pure _force_ seemed to tear the ocean apart, the icicles stopped where they were, before dropping to the ground, sliced in two halves. Ursula let out a gurgling screech of agony as suddenly a spray of black, bubbling blood-like substance ripped from her torso.

A loud thunk had Seth landing in front of Melody, Kitetsu out, and glowing faintly with a violet shimmer. He was panting. Kairi stared in surprise. She'd _never_ seen him panting before. Except that one time with Aerith. But even _then_, that was because he was holding back! What the _hell_ was that attack he just did? And why did it take so much out of him?

"You alright…?"

"Y-yeah…thank you…Mister Rodin."

"Melody."

"Y-yes?" She was still rather shocked, both at the close call and at the sheer _power_ this man held.

"Time to finish this."

"I…I understand."

"Do you?" He pushed, as she slowly got to her feet, grasping the Trident. Despite the heavy waves, and the agonized moaning of Ursula, thrashing around in the ocean, his words were heard clearly by those on the Black Pearl.

"Do you understand what it means to _kill_?" Ariel gasped at this.

"I…I…no…"

"You hold life in your hands, Melody. A single life…an existence all its own. Its past, its present, its futures. Everything it is…everything it _was_, everything it _could be_. All in your hands. To _kill_ is to extinguish that life, to end that present, to _prevent_ those futures. They'll never see again, they'll never think or hear or speak or breathe. Can you handle knowing you ended that?"

"I…I'll…be…a murderer…?" She was having second thoughts now.

"No…there is a difference. To _kill_…is to end life. Yes. But to _kill_ is to end life with _purpose_. Animals _kill_ other animals, for food, for territory, for safety. To _kill_ is just a part of nature. As long as there is _true_ purpose in a forced death. An ended life for one who threatens your home or family. A death so you may continue to eat and survive. A death to prevent the deaths of a hundred others. That is to _kill_."

She nodded, slowly approaching him. The Kitetsu had vanished in a ripple of air.

"To _murder_…is to kill without purpose. To kill solely because you _desire_ it. No _meaning_ other than your own satisfaction. No greater _purpose_, no _reason_. To kill without purpose, to kill because you _feel_ like it, to kill someone who has nothing to do with anything…that is what it means to _murder_. A man who kills the one who draws a gun upon his family is a killer, not a murderer. A man who kills the one who simply crosses his path, is a murderer."

She nodded again.

"But either way, to kill, or to murder, you are ending a life. And it is a horrible feeling. You take on the responsibility of knowing that you _ended someone's time_. You will have nightmares, you will feel sick, dirty, unworthy of continuing your own life. But as long as you kill with reluctance, and with _true purpose_, you can expect to come to terms with it. However you deal with the pain and disgust of knowing you've killed, is entirely up to you. Can you do it? Do you believe you can handle the coming days, knowing you've taken a life? Even though this life threatened the lives of those you cherish? Of your family, your future friends, your home?"

She stared at him, as he gazed at her, eyes shimmering a dull brown.

And she nodded.

"I see…then let us put an end to this."

"Yes, Mister Rodin."

"Raise the Trident."

She did so, flushing slightly as his hands wrapped around hers. And then she _felt _it.

A pulse of _power_. It washed over her, flowed through her, sending tingles through her whole body. Her cheeks flushed heavily as the most unusual sensation tore along her nerves. Her skin gained goosebumps, her body shuddered, her legs buckled even though she struggled to stay upright. The exhaustion she felt before was chased away by _strength_.

His strength.

_Her_ strength.

**Their **strength.

With a shuddering sigh, she instinctively closed her eyes.

"**Tenkou mitsukuru tokoro ware wa ari…"**

With those words, a small glyph appeared beneath the two of them. A chain of four symbols, merged together as one, like a tower. A triangle with a single line through it, resembling an arrow, at the bottom, pointed downwards. The single line extended further, splitting apart into the two sides of a ring, before extending back down into a single line. The ringed lines were flanked by two vertical lines, that also extended farther upwards, where they were connected by a diagonal slash, causing that portion to look like an N with a vertical line through the center. And above it all, was an upside-down V shape, flanked by two small dots.

His voice was deep. Heavy. _Powerful_.

And then knowledge flowed through her, prompting her to speak, to continue the incantation of what would clearly be the _end_ of Ursula.

"_Yomi no mon hiraku tokoro nanchi ari…"_

A low rumbling came from the sky. Many looked up, gasping at the spiral of clouds that occasionally discharged small arcs of lightning.

"_**Ide yo, Kami no Ikazuchi!"**_

They opened their eyes, the Trident giving a shimmering glow, as the ring of symbols around the glyph ceased its rotation, the symbols spreading out in an X pattern, leading into four rings of symbols, each one with one of the four shapes in the center, emerging within, before linking together like a box.

"_**INDIGNATION!"**_

A flash of violet light.

A _loud_ crack of thunder.

An agonized scream.

Yet not moments after Ursula's destruction, as the gangplank was once again placed between the two ships, and her parents raced across to reach her, Melody was yanked away, Trident and all, by a black tendril. The dark appendage belonging to Morgana, whom clutched not only the girl, but the Trident tightly, its tri-pronged fork placed right at Melody's neck.

"I may have hated her…but she was still my _sister!_ And you took her away from me! _Again!_ But now…now I will rule the seas! And my first order, is _your death_ you little brat!"

"There's one problem with that." Seth spoke calmly, suddenly appearing on the water's surface. _Standing_, on the water's surface, which caused everyone save Kairi to gape. Even Morgana was frozen in shock. That just…shouldn't be possible! What manner of magic was he wielding?!

"You assume…that she's incapable of being taken from you."

With those words, Morgana suddenly lurched forward, feeling a sharp pain in her lower back. She turned her head to see what could have caused it, only to witness fading wisps of black. Suddenly her right arm was jerked forward, as Melody was ripped from her grasp by an invisible force, the young teen thrown to the arms of her parents, whom all fell into the water from the impact.

"You-

**SHIINK!**

Morgana screeched in agony, clutching the stump that was once her left arm. In the blink of an eye, Seth had shot forward, Kitetsu raised, and sliced through it. With a pulse of will, the Trident she once held was launched towards Melody, Eric and Ariel, the teen grabbing it out of the air. Gibbering madly, Morgana barely managed to stammer out a demand of a query.

"Y-you! Who the _HELL_ are you?!"

She really shouldn't have asked.

"Ware ga zenkai." **WHAM! **He slammed his elbow into her stomach, buckling the sea-witch over.

"Ware ga shuushi." She cried out again as he performed a clockwise fan kick, bringing heel to face, spinning her around before he carved into her back with a swing of the Kitetsu.

"Ware ga Zetsumei." A downward, left to right swing sliced deep into her chest. A follow up horizontal swing from right to left carved into her stomach.

"Wa ga na wa _Zero._" A fierce punch to Morgana's sternum, lifting her into the air before he spun on his heel, kicking her away.

"**Oboeteoke." **He lashed his hand out, clenching his left fist. A deep, heavy distortion of air ripped into place, a semi-transparent orb-like blackish void engulfing Morgana, crushing and pushing her battered body, forcing her to curl up like a ball.

"_**Shingi: Tia no Tsume."**_ He clutched his sword, raising it to cross his chest diagonally, the tip of it pointing towards his left shoulder. In the next second, he spun on his right heel, swinging his left leg out to throw his weight forward as he brought his right arm out of the single revolution, swinging downward from left to right with full force. His sword cut through the air, leaving a violet trail of energy that seemed to split into three individual narrow scars, as if a gigantic claw had sliced into it, cleaving through the **Phaselock**, splitting it into four pieces which then detonated, completely eradicating all trace of Morgana.

The wind and force of the explosion kicked up a powerful wave, which crested and broke long before it reached him, let alone the two ships behind him. He visibly calmed, slumping forward slightly, the Kitetsu vanishing back into the Vector Trap it came from, as he disengaged his mind from the fury of battle.

Slowly, he began to walk away. He was done here, after all. Maybe some other time he'd come back and check up on Melody, but for now he had to get away from… A sudden presence caused him to react, blocking a swinging hand. In a split second he whirled around, punching the halted Kairi in the stomach. A heavy **THOOM** ripped through the air upon his fist impacting her gut, throwing her back with a shockwave of force and a heavy spray of kicked-up water. She crashed through the _Imperial Defender_'s guard rails, shattering the wooden supports. She flipped through the air, landing on her back and rolling to a stop. Slowly, shakily, Kairi stood, eyes glowing, body being lit up by repeated strands of red, she lashed a hand out.

"_**Banshō Ten'in!"**_ she screamed at the top of her lungs.

A moment of shock washed over Seth's face. _Wait how the __**fuck**__ does she know about that and how the __**hell**__ is she actually pulling it off?!_

His body was being pulled. He actually had to _struggle _to remain where he was standing, feet slipping across the water slightly, clothes ruffling as he fought against the summoning force. While mostly irritated, a small part of him was _impressed_ that she had made him _fight_ to remain where he was. But irritation won over, and he vanished in a ripple of air.

Kairi had a brief second to realize what the lack of resistance on the other end of her pull meant, before she found herself being cut in multiple places by flying splinters, as Seth ripped through the wood beneath her, his fist slamming into her chest. Caught without any defense mustered, Kairi went flying into the air, before she felt a grip on her leg, pulling her back down, where Seth once again slammed his fist into her torso. She crashed into the _Imperial Defender_'s mast bouncing off of it. In the next moment, unseen by her due to her eyes being closed from the pain, Seth had reached towards Melody, the Trident ripping from her hands, spinning its way towards his, where he grasped it tightly, before ramming it into Kairi's stomach, pinning her to the mast.

For a moment the sharp agonizing pain through her stomach was all Kairi thought she'd have to endure.

And then she screamed in pain as she was electrocuted for ten seconds straight.

The girl, throat horse, body tingling and sparking with remnants of the God Lightning that went through her, slumped forward. Seth released his hold on the Trident, the pole-arm still pinning the girl to the ship's mast. He shook his head slightly, and made to turn away when he froze due to a hand on his wrist. Twitching, gasping, but still _conscious_, Kairi's weak grip held him steady. He looked from her shaking hand – still being lit by the continuous strands of red following her veins – to her still glowing, violet eyes.

_How the fuck is she still conscious? Seriously, what the hell is going on with this girl now?!_

"I…m…not…giving…up…on you…"

Slowly, a pair of arms snaked their way around his stomach from behind. A soothing cool washed over him, as a deep plunging sound overtook the sounds of the sea.

_Doesn't matter in the end…just as long as she keeps the hell away from me…she'll be fine…_

"You should. You're better off that way."

And with those parting words, he turned, vanishing into a Dark Corridor.

Her arm dropped to the side, before she let out a shuddering sigh. She was in agony, but she was pushing it away. She could feel the irritating feeling of rapid, sharp tingles as her body naturally tried to heal itself. Knowing that it was _entirely possible_ for her body to recover with the trident still in her, thus likely causing a really _annoying_ situation, she gathered her focus. This…was going to hurt. Slowly, she rose two shaking arms to the Trident, trying to pull it out of her. Her attempt only jarred her, bringing a sharp pain, and a loud yelp, as well as a fresh wave of tears. It hurt…but she knew she had to remove it, otherwise…

"Kairi! Wait I'll-

"S-stop. Just…just…let me…do this…"

Gaping at his _insane_ girlfriend, he could do nothing but watch as she placed two hands on the sides of the Trident's fork.

"Sh…Shi…" She slammed her eyes shut, and pushed outwards. Yeah. This was _definitely_ going to hurt…

"_**Shinra Tensei!"**_

A distortion of air, and in a spray of blood the Trident was ripped from Kairi's stomach and thrown away from her, where it clattered onto the ship's deck. She cried out in pain and dropped to the ground, clutching the wound. Sora was quick to race over to her, hands glowing with the flow of Curaga, as Kairi rolled over, panting, twitching, and tearing up.

And then suddenly she gave a hoarse chuckle, which slowly bloomed into a full-blown hysterical laugh. Confused, worried, and _frightened_ of his clearly insane girlfriend, Sora just watched the girl's eyes snap open, releasing the tears held back, while her face stretched in a manic grin. Everyone else was just stunned, both at the violence displayed by both people, as well as the fact the girl was _laughing_ after being impaled by an Artifact of Power.

"S-Sora! Sora! Sorasorasora! I _did it!_"

"Wh-what?"

"I _did it!_ Didn't you see! I made him_ try!_ I fought the Resonance Reaction! We're practically equals now!"

"I…Uhh…that's…good?"

"Hell yeah it is! All we need to do is get Alicia up to par and then we'll be able to take him on again!"

"Kairi…" Sora said softly. "…he clearly doesn't want-

"No Sora…he _does_. He's just afraid. He's afraid and confused. He's only got Miri, and she's not going to be enough. Not after what she did."

Sora just stared. And then it dawned on him. The only reason why she'd even think of doing something so crazy. Why was it she was always focused on Seth? The same thing that drove her to Sora himself. The same thing that led her to forging a deep, _natural_ connection to him. One simple concept, that even he knew, if taken too far, could lead someone to actions that denote only insanity.

"You really do love him…don't you?"

She nodded. She couldn't deny it. She _wouldn't_ deny it. Not any longer. She'd merged with her other half, the half of her that embraced her love for him. The half of her that would have put _Seth_ as her primary, with Sora her secondary, rather than the way it was now. "I do…you're the one I picked, but I'm not going to deny my feelings for him."

"Even after this? He almost killed you before Kairi…and now-

"He's lashing out at everything that comes in his space uninvited. I was trying to stop him from leaving. He doesn't want to be near us. But he only doesn't want that because he's tired of hurting. I _confused_ him, Sora. I caught him off guard. He wasn't expecting me to be as strong as I am."

Must she always have a counter for his arguments? He was no Riku, but even Sora…the man had _killed_ him. And Roxas. And Ino. And almost killed Riku, and Aqua, and Naminé, and _Kairi herself_. And then he did it _again!_

_Even so…_ - The brunette teen thought to himself – _she still has that connection to him. She saw his whole life…and we only got a glimpse of the end of it. Could she really know something that makes all of this worth it?_

"That just means he's going to fight harder."

"Exactly. Persistence is one of the things he likes in a girl y'know. She's gotta be willing to put up with, and fight against his shit. She's gotta be willing to go through hell, to sit through pain to match his, cause he's willing to do that for her."

"Alright…alright…I don't like it but alright."

She smiled at him, feeling much better. "Thanks hon." She laid her head back down, sighing. _Just a bit more. One more piece and we'll be able to help fight that fear of yours, Seth._

* * *

_The Chosen One has renounced its purpose._

_He spreads the plague with each realm he touches._

_He has failed. He has betrayed our pact._

A trio of glowing red points, in a sea of black.

_Skeith…find him. Erase him. The Laguna alone are not enough. You will be the one to lead his destruction._

_And bring forth the Death of the Keyblade._

* * *

_**A/N:**_Well. That was a series of things, wasnt it? We now know who..._what _Seth is. The world he came from, is Earth. and the Keyblade was Humanity's Treasure. And then he was killed...only to rise again as "**Zero**". What...exactly "Zero" is...will be explained very soon. But suffice to say for now...it's more than just a name.

**God****ofLazors: **Oh believe me, Zero wasnt using any hax at all. Well...ok in a sense he was. Lets just say that at that moment he'd entered "Debug Mode" and was basically a GM, cleaning out what were percieved as "hackers" with his authoritive powers. Suffice to say such blatant disregard for realistic concepts is beyond him from this point on.

Besides...something _far more powerful_ is about to be encountered...


End file.
